While far more ambitious, amphitheater-style plans were proposed back in 2022, the San Pedro waterfront will be getting a 6,200-person “amphitheater” overlooking the water. Attached to the approval was an enlargement of the proposed Ferris wheel, from 100 feet in diameter to 175 feet, as well as a 2,300-stall parking structure.
Part of the city’s overhaul of its former Ports O’ Call entertainment area, the West Harbor project is the state’s largest waterfront development. The West Harbor’s $155M first phase—which will include restaurants, bars, and shops—has been consistently facing delays, with announcements to open in 2023 pushed to 2024 and now pushed to late 2025.
What is the San Pedro amphitheater all about?
In a unanimous vote on Thursday, June 26, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved plans for a 6,200-seat “amphitheater.” (It’s simply just a giant lawn; not an elevated viewing space.) It will anchor the West Harbor development and, if all goes as envisioned, serve as a cultural and economic shot in the arm for a town that has long attempted to maintain its working-class grit while slowly evolving.
“This is the moment,” said Dan Salas, founder of Harbor Breeze Cruises (and a board member for Visit LB and Meet LB). He was one of the first to sign onto the project: His hybrid electric harbor cruise boat is just one part of a growing fleet of businesses tying their future to a revitalized San Pedro waterfront—and the amphitheater, he said, is what finally puts it on the map. “I was born in Wilmington. And I started working at Berth 79 when I was 12. I’m here now. Just full of gratitude.”
Expected to take 14 to 16 months to build, the venue will be helmed by Nederlander. (Yes, the same crew that once ran the Greek Theatre.) And it’s set to bring big-name acts to a part of the region that’s long been overlooked. The number of shows will be limited to 100 per year, with only five permitted to include fireworks.
“This is going to be amazing for the youth and generations to come,” said 22-year-old musician Rudy Rios, who reflected on the closure of local institutions like Utro’s and Walker’s. “There’s just not much here for people my age. This changes that.”
San Pedro Lawn vs. Long Beach Amphitheater: The battle of the waterfront concert venues?
Do we have a waterfront concert venue battle? After all, Long Beach is underway to built it’s own (proper) 12,000-seat amphitheater. In the words of Mayor Rex Richardson, it will “offer unforgettable experiences for residents and visitors. And it will support our local small restaurants. Our shops. Our businesses. All these entities will benefit from increased foot traffic before and after major concerts.”
The City Council approved a $16.5M plan for the construction and operation of the Bowl earlier this year, making the project a reality.
This includes $1.5M for ASM Global, which will operate the venue annually for $300K for the first five years. (That’s a five-year contract they can renew; the temporary venue is being stamped with a proposed 10-year lifespan. ASM Global is also the operator at Convention Center, overseeing everything from its catering contract to its operations of the Arena.) Acquired by Legends in 2023 and finalized in 2024—making it one of the largest sports and entertainment venue operators in the world—the Long Beach Bowl will join ASM’s roughly 400 existing venue clients across the country. The venue’s operating profits would be paid out to the city, along with a percentage of revenue from concessions, catering orders, private suites or lounges and potentially the sale of naming rights or sponsorships at the amphitheater.
