Construction Under Way on $35-Mil Dodge Theatre

PHOENIX-Construction has begun in downtown Phoenix on a $35-million, 5,000-seat theater, a uniquely sized venue that the developers hope to roll out to several other US cities in the coming months.

Jerry Colangelo, owner of the Phoenix Suns and managing general partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has an interest in the development company, the Phoenix Downtown Theatre. The Dodge Theatre is is expected to fill the city’s niche for a mid-sized venue, which has a current void between the 1,000-seat halls and the 20,000-seat sports arenas, Bob Machen, managing partner of the group, tells GlobeSt.com.

Phoenix isn’t alone in its need for the niche market. “In most cities in this country there is a 2,000-seat and a 19,000-seat venue, but there is nothing in between to fill the niche for smaller concerts,” Machen says. “I looked around the country at 5,000-seat theaters and they are all very, very successful. It just became acutely evident to me that this would work.”