McKinney City Council approves plans for $220M 'Sunset Amphitheater' concert venue
MCKINNEY, Texas - Despite protests from people who complained about potential traffic and noise, the McKinney City Council approved plans to move forward with a new $220 million music venue.
The open-air Sunset Amphitheater will sit on 46 acres at the corner of Highway 75 and 121.
The city reached an agreement with Notes Live Incorporated for the 20,000-seat venue. But during a public hearing, many residents said they were against the $220 million project.
City council members voted 6-1 to approve the concert venue Tuesday evening.
The developer is spending $220 million on the project. Meanwhile, the city is giving the land to Notes Live and will chip in $26 million toward construction.
Some residents complained that it’s too close to their homes.
At a city council special meeting, residents didn’t shy away from voicing their opposition.
"There's other uses you can do and still benefit the city without killing the senior assisted living, because it will go out of business. That's a given," said resident Scott Lucier. "The property values around that area will decline. If you want a lot of short-term rentals, this is the way to do it."
"You think it’s a great location because it’s 121 and Highway 75," another concerned resident said. "You can just as well put it further out so it’s not in the middle of all people trying to live their normal lives without all the traffic and all of this noise."
However, those in favor are excited because the venue is designed to host major touring artists, something McKinney and Collin County have never really had.
"I’m tired of going to Arlington, to Dallas, to Irving," one supporter said.
"And the people who are in McKinney don’t have to go somewhere else for entertainment," another supporter said.
Tuesday morning, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation and the McKinney Community Development Corporation held a joint meeting with Notes Live.
The company explained it’s spoken with businesses near the proposed venue site.
"I’ve spoken to the company just to the northwest. We’ve communicated. I’ve talked to the folks at the Sheraton. We communicated with the community college, and they’re — I think it would be fair to say — excited about the project," said Notes Live President and CEO Bob Mudd. "We have worked for many months to define specific commitments that we're making related to the concerns that are being expressed here today, and we will continue to live by those commitments."
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The renderings of the space include more than 250 luxury firepit suites, a reserved seating area and covered grass seating.
Notes Live plans to begin construction in late 2024 with the goal to host artists starting in 2026.
"We have a significant amount of design work which is already underway," Mudd said. "Our objective is to tour this with the 2026 season, which is a heavy lift. So we’re going to be moving very quickly upon approval."
The location will be Notes Live’s largest venue. The company is also looking to build similar venues in Oklahoma and Tennessee.