We’re getting a better look at the new music center being built in Greater Cincinnati.
On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and its subsidiary, Music & Event Management, Inc., known as MEMI, released new renderings of the upcoming Farmer Music Center, a new, state-of-the-art music and entertainment venue currently being built on the former site of Coney Island. The orchestra and MEMI also launched a new website and social media channels for the venue and released its official logos, as well as more details on the venue’s fan experiences and estimated economic impact.
MEMI says the music center’s design is a thoughtful reimagining of what a great concert night should be, with fans and stars at the center. Design elements include an innovative vertical design that offers better sightlines, cleaner sound and an intuitive layout. The venue will be able to seat up to 20,000 guests, including 8,000 reserved seats and space for 12,000 people on the lawn. Fans can also experience the venue’s four premium club spaces or two levels of box suites, which offer exclusive amenities and extra comfort.
The Farmer Music Center will also have more than 300,000 square feet of concourse and club space, with elevated food and beverage options available throughout the venue, including 25 full-service bars and concession stands, plus multiple grab-and-go kiosks.
“This is a meaningful step forward for the project and for the future of live music in Southwest Ohio,” Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Robert McGrath said in a press release. “These updates give the community its clearest view yet of what will be the most innovative venue design in the region, one built to put artists and audiences at the center of every performance, while strengthening our ongoing commitment to the region’s cultural and economic vitality.”
The venue is expected increase total live events in the area by 30%, boosting tourism and support to small businesses and generating more than $100 million in annual economic impact, says MEMI. The Farmer Music Center will also create around $7 million in state tax revenue and $15 million in new city tax revenue over the next 10 years. And with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and MEMI’s unique funding model, net revenues will be reinvested into Cincinnati’s arts scene, helping fund the orchestra’s education programs, neighborhood concerts and orchestral programming.
“A venue like this does more than bring great music to Cincinnati — it creates real momentum for the city,” said Mike Smith, CEO of MEMI. “From hotel stays and restaurant traffic to seasonal jobs, the economic ripple effect reaches far beyond the gates.”
The Farmer Music Center will be located on the former Coney Island site, next to Riverbend Music Center along Kellogg Avenue in Cincinnati’s California neighborhood and Anderson Township, with a planned opening for spring 2027. The public can follow its progress and get updates on the venue’s new website and social media channels.