The Sunset Amphitheater will open in Broken Arrow this fall and welcome performers from across the region, city leaders said during a topping-off ceremony Thursday.
“This new amphitheater represents far more than a venue,” said Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee. “It represents opportunity. It represents a major economic and cultural win, not only for Broken Arrow, but for the entire region.”
Located near Events Park at 101st Street South and east of the Creek Turnpike, the 12,500-seat amphitheater is projected to generate $4.36 billion in economic impact over the first 20 years of operation, Wimpee said. Additionally, she said the venue is expected to create 633 “direct jobs or indirect jobs.”
“But beyond the numbers — and they are impressive — the amphitheater is about community,” Wimpee said. “It’s about creating a place where memories are made, a place where families gather on summer nights, where artists connect with audiences and where Broken Arrow continues to establish itself as a destination for culture, entertainment and innovation.”
Wimpee told the Flyer the public-private partnership includes about $30 million in improvements such as parking, lighting and stormwater infrastructure from the city as well as more than $100 million in capital investment from VENU, a private company that builds live entertainment facilities.
Wimpee also noted the city owns nearby property that could be sold to a hotel or restaurant.
Terri Liebler, VENU’s chief marketing officer, said Broken Arrow helped build the foundation for the project — physically and figuratively.
“This amphitheater is more than steel rising behind us or the concrete that’s been poured today,” Liebler said. “It’s a promise that Broken Arrow will be a stage for moments that matter, for memories that last and for experiences that bring people together. We are not just building a venue, we are building a legacy, and we’re just getting started.”
City Manager Michael Spurgeon called the city’s collaboration with VENU an “economic driver.”
“It brings visitors from across the region. It will generate sales tax. It will support restaurants, hotels and retail and through our efforts in economic development … it will bring more attractions and more investments into our community,” Spurgeon said.
Will Hodgson, VENU’s president, said the effort to bring an outdoor concert venue to the Tulsa area is “long overdue.”
“I speak with promoters, agents and artists really every day in the industry, and have witnessed and had conversations about the enthusiasm for this site,” Hodgson said. “I think it’s an attractive place for both artists and fans to come see an unbelievable show.”
& Strategy, speaks during a Sunset Amphitheater press tour Feb. 12, 2026. Credit: Molly McElwain / Tulsa Flyer
Chloe Polhamus, VENU’s vice president of strategic relations, led a tour of the venue’s unfinished artists’ quarters — a sacred space for the artist to relax on the day of shows. She said singers Dierks Bentley and Niall Horan are playing a role in designing Sunset Amphitheater, including the artists’ quarters, as part of VENU’s Curator Collective.
Hodgson said entertainers will want to perform at Sunset, which he describes as a “destination venue” — not just a one-night stop.
“This is an exciting market, and the industry knows it, and the performers want to be here,” Hodgson said. “We are ready to start putting shows on the calendar and bring world-class entertainment experiences to this community.”
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