Venu finalizes land purchase from city of McKinney for Sunset Amphitheater project

The “ultra-lux” venue will feature 295 firepit suites for purchase as well as the exclusive Aikman Club, a private membership-based club in partnership with Troy Aikman, an NFL Hall of Famer and founder of Eight Elite Light Beer, the release states.

"I’m thrilled that Venu is opening a location here in my hometown of Dallas,” Aikman said in the release. “As a lifelong music fan, the partnership between Eight and Venu is a special one to me. Nothing pairs better than great music and a cold beer, and I can’t wait for fans to enjoy both in an unforgettable way."

The venue will also include fully covered seating areas, a landscaped grass berm and 5,100 parking spaces, according to the city’s website.

The project is being developed through a public-private partnership between four parties, including:

• Venu
• The city of McKinney
• The McKinney Economic Development Corporation
• The McKinney Community Development Corporation

The $220 million open-air amphitheater was announced in March. The new entertainment venue will have a capacity of 20,000 people and JW Roth, founder and CEO of Venu, said the venue is estimated to host between 50-65 shows each year, including concerts and comedians.

McKinney leaders approved the initial development agreement for the project in April, which includes over $50 million in incentives

The first amendment to the agreement was approved by council members at an Oct. 15 meeting, and included changes to the terms of the land purchase, the eligible operators for the venue and other changes to the site design. The site plan for the project was approved at a Nov. 19 meeting.

A second amendment to the agreement was approved in December and pushed back the date the developers would be required to announce the selected venue operator to Sept. 15, 2025.

What they’re saying

• “This world-class music venue is a game-changer for our entertainment offerings in McKinney and will be a boom for our economic growth and tourism sector. With a state-of-the-art venue of this size, we can draw some of the largest musical acts to the city and attract fans from across Texas and the surrounding states,” McKinney Mayor George Fuller said in the release.
• “We are proud to be building the greatest amphitheater ever built in history right here in the center of the universe, McKinney,” said J.W. Roth, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Venu, in the release.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the amphitheater is expected to be held this spring, the release states.

The venue is expected to be open in June 2026, the company’s website states.