The ground was at last broken on a new live music view opening in 2026: Sunset Amphitheater powered by Eight Elite Light Beer, a 20,000-seat facility located at the northeast corner of US 75 and SH 121 in McKinney, slated to open in 2026.
The $300 million venue is being developed as part of a public-private partnership between Venu, the City of McKinney, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, and the McKinney Community Development Corporation.
Venu is a Colorado-based hospitality and live music venue developer formerly known as Notes Live, with multiple concepts in the works (many seeking funding) including Sunset Amphitheater, which they're opening in Oklahoma and El Paso, as well as McKinney.
The Sunset Amphitheater at McKinney powered by Eight Elite Light Beer may be a mouthful of a name but it also reveals that it has already landed a sponor in the beer company launched by ex-Dallas Cowboys Troy Aikman.
The venue will feature a flexible multi-season configuration for year-round programming, with suites, members-only club, canopied roof, and wind walls, to provide protection from inclement weather and comfortable atmosphere in the winter.
There will also be food and beverage through a partnership with Aramark Sports + Entertainment, a massive enterprise that provides food services to NBA and NHL arenas, baseball fields, zoos, college facillities, and more.
The members-only club is called The Aikman Club, in collaboration with Troy Aikman, and will be nestled at the center of the amphitheater: a one-of-a-kind space with "world-class cuisine," unmatched views, premium seating, and high-end amenities for its elite members.
“We’re so excited to be here,” said Venu founder and CEO J.W. Roth in a statement. “We’re gonna build the most luxurious, fully seated, multi configuration, multi seasonal venue in history right here in McKinney. The organizations here in McKinney have been nothing short of incredible. This groundbreaking wouldn't be possible without that unwavering passion of the folks of McKinney.”
