A New Era for Portland's Live Music Scene
A new chapter is beginning for Portland’s live music scene. On Wednesday, developers and city leaders officially broke ground on a two-story concert hall at the Lloyd Center Mall. This 68,000-square-foot project is expected to revitalize the neighborhood and bring the city’s music culture back into the spotlight. Construction has already started at the site of the former Nordstrom store, with the dismantling of the retail space and work underway underground.
The venue, which is yet to be named, is being developed through a partnership between Portland-based Monqui Presents and Colorado-based AEG Presents. It will have seating for between 2,000 and 4,250 people and is scheduled to open in early 2027. Governor Tina Kotek, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, called the project a turning point for both the Lloyd District and the city as a whole.
“It is projects like this that are telling for our city,” Kotek said. “Creating this place in the Lloyd District is phenomenal. It's going to bring a new legacy to this neighborhood. This is a catalytic project for this community, and it serves as a cornerstone for the Lloyd Center Mall.”
Mike Quinn, founder of Monqui Presents, believes the venue fills a crucial gap in Portland’s entertainment landscape. He noted that the city has long been missing a mid-sized concert hall.
“I don’t think the city was ready for it 10 years ago, but it’s ready now," Quinn said. "Portland’s one of the few cities that doesn’t have this type of venue.”
The hall will be designed by Portland-based Works Progress Architecture, the firm behind Denver’s Mission Ballroom, known for its flexible stage and strong acoustics. Quinn said the Lloyd Center site offers the perfect balance of size and location.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a bad seat in this house,” said Claire Dennerlein, publicity director for Portland band Pink Martini. “That alone makes bands confident they’ll put on a great show and fans confident they’re going to buy tickets to something special.”
Dennerlein added that the new venue will give local artists a hometown stage and help keep more tours in Portland instead of bypassing the city.
“It’s an essential venue size that we’ve needed for a very long time,” she said. “To see two come up at once really shows how much we’ve needed that and how the market is there for it.”
The second venue she’s referring to is a proposed Live Nation facility in Portland’s Central Eastside. That 62,000-square-foot hall, which just received its building permit, would seat between 1,200 and 3,500 people, roughly the same capacity range as the Lloyd Center site.
Portland City Councilor Jamie Dunphy supports the Lloyd project but strongly opposes the Live Nation plan. He argues that the company’s dominance in the concert industry poses a threat to Portland’s independent music ecosystem.
“Portland should not allow Live Nation to operate a venue in this city," Dunphy said.
Dunphy, a music proponent who currently sits on the board of MusicOregon, said as city councilor he plans to introduce policies aimed at strengthening the city’s music economy.
“Portland desperately needs investment in our music industry, and we’re missing major acts. Right now, people go from San Francisco to Bend to Seattle. They skip Portland completely because we don’t have a mid-sized venue of this type.”
Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster are currently facing a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 40 states, including Oregon, accusing the company of monopolistic practices that drive up ticket prices and limit artist choice, a claim Live Nation has pushed back on.
The Future of Portland’s Music Scene
The Lloyd Center venue’s name is still in the works, Quinn added. “It’s gotta be just right,” he said.
Dennerlein added, "I think there's a pretty good chance you're going to see Pink Martini on stage here at this new venue."
As construction moves forward, the new venue is expected to bring a fresh energy to Portland’s live music scene. With a focus on creating a space that benefits both local artists and fans, the project represents a significant step forward for the city’s cultural landscape.
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