More than 20,000-seat outdoor amphitheater proposed for Southwest Austin

Developer Craig Bryan said he hopes the Violet Crown Amphitheater in Southwest Austin will help the city live up to its name as the live music capital of the world, even as the population soars.

The more than 20,000-seat outdoor amphitheater is set to fit more spectators than the Hollywood Bowl. The venue, northwest of Hwy. 71 and Southwest Parkway, will be uphill from Austin’s downtown and will overlook the skyline.

Bryan, a developer with International Development Management Co., said the venue takes inspiration from the Hollywood Bowl and Red Rock Amphitheater outside of Denver, Colorado.

Developers aim to open the amphitheater with a concert on Labor Day in 2023. Communication with entertainers is already in the works, Bryan said, as top tier performers generally book venues one or two years in advance.

International Development Management Co. is planning an entertainment district centered around the venue, with the first element—a golf-style driving range—planned to open in spring 2023, Bryan said. Around the same time, a distillery and tasting room will open.

The site will also include two residential towers with trees and shrubbery built into the outside of the building, which could create short-term renal options, Bryan said.

Bryan said a portion of ticket sales for each concert will go to local charities, including the Hill Country Conservancy, Health Alliance, local symphonies and first responders.