Frey finalizes deal to build ampthitheater in north Minneapolis

Plans for North Minneapolis amphitheater

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Thursday signed off on a deal to build an 8,000-seat amphitheater along the Mississippi River.

Plans are underway to bring the Community Performing Arts Center to the former Army Corps of Engineers site known as Upper Harbor Terminal. The city recently received a $12 million grant from the state to help make the $300 million redevelopment project a reality.

Related stories:

Minneapolis gets $12M grant for outdoor concert venue along Mississippi River
Minneapolis Public Works to continue discussion on Upper Harbor Terminal construction Thursday
City of Minneapolis looking for public input on new Upper Harbor Terminal proposal

Once built, the amphitheater will be jointly managed by First Avenue, the Minnesota Orchestra and the African American Community Development Corporation. City officials say a portion of the sales from all tickets will be reinvested in the surrounding community.

In addition to the performance venue, the Upper Harbor Terminal overhaul includes mixed-use development for housing and businesses, a bike and pedestrian trail and a 20-acre riverfront park.

West Broadway Avenue is still scarred by boarded-up storefronts and vacant lots.“North Minneapolis is a city within a city,” KB Brown, North Minneapolis resident and business owner, said. “We’ve been ignored for as long as I’ve been alive. There has been no real investment over here.”Brown took an investment into his own hands by opening up Wolfpack Promotionals. He also has a business and housing project on the way to host a variety of amenities and services designed to empower residents and local entrepreneurs.“We have all this vacant land up and down Broadway, which is supposed to be the heart and the vein of our economic area,” Brown said. “I want to see actual investment with first-time wealth builders, not the people who already have money.”The city of Minneapolis calls the Northside Amphitheater a generational opportunity.

“For far too long, this community has been underserved and faced disinvestment. This project is a step towards changing that narrative,” Latrisha Vetaw, Ward 4 Council member, said at the Thursday press conference.

The publicly-owned development is expected to bring hundreds of jobs. Officials said $3 of each ticket sold will be reinvested into social, cultural and economic initiatives on the northside.“I think it will be beneficial to the community if they do exactly what they said are going to do,” Brown said. “I don’t trust them to save my life. I don’t think anybody over here does. They’ve lied to us too much.”

The West Broadway Business and Area coalition said in a statement in part, “There appears to be a tremendous effort to ensure the community benefits from the revitalization.”The statement also addresses concerns that “this development could accelerate gentrification, displace longtime residents and businesses, and widen the gap between investment in entertainment versus essential infrastructure, affordable housing, and small business support. The community needs to be at the center of this investment—not on the sidelines.”

West Broadway Business & Area Coalition, Board President Dr. Tara Watson said in a statement:

“The Northside Amphitheater presents both opportunities and concerns for our community. On the positive side, it has the potential to bring new economic activity, create jobs, and attract visitors to North Minneapolis—an area that has long been overlooked for public and private investment. Culturally, it could become a space that showcases local talent and celebrates the vibrant, diverse arts scene that already exists here.

“There appears to be tremendous effort to ensure that the community benefits from this revitalization, which I am in support of. It’s encouraging to see initiatives that aim to include local voices and prioritize equity.

“However, there are still valid concerns about whether this project will fully address the longstanding economic disparities we face. Without strong, enforceable community benefit agreements, there’s a risk that this development could accelerate gentrification, displace longtime residents and businesses, and widen the gap between investment in entertainment versus essential infrastructure, affordable housing, and small business support. The community needs to be at the center of this investment—not on the sidelines.”

This would be a great opportunity for the light rail to serve the amphitheater instead of disseminating the W. Broadway Ave. businesses.”
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