Big Things Brewing at the Waterfront in Long Beach
The city’s waterside is about to get a major boost: the Long Beach Planning Commission is gearing up to approve a new concert amphitheater right next door to the storied Queen Mary ship.
What’s the plan?
On November 6, the commission will review designs for the proposed venue, which would rise on a roughly 7.1-acre parcel at 1051 Queens Highway — currently used as overflow parking for the Queen Mary.
The plans call for prefabricated structures reaching up to 51 feet high, including:
- A performance stage
- Bleacher-style seating
- Concession areas + lounges
- Offices for venue operations
The venue is designed to seat about 11,000 people, with space for up to 12,000 when including standing room.
Construction is slated to kick off in Summer 2026, and the operator is expected to manage the amphitheater for an initial 10-year term, with an option to extend.
Why here, why now?
The area around the Queen Mary already hosts major events — from massive music festivals to Fourth of July fireworks, Halloween’s “Dark Harbor” and New Year’s Eve celebrations — drawing tens of thousands of visitors.
With the new amphitheater, the city expects roughly 84 large-scale events plus 20 smaller single-day gatherings, bringing in around 300,000 attendees annually.
Who’s involved?
Operations will be handled by ASM Global/Legends (the same team behind the Long Beach Convention Center). They’ll handle bookings, marketing, staffing and general venue management.
Bigger picture
It’s not just Long Beach writing the playbook — nearby waterfront developments are also going big. For example, the West Harbor project in San Pedro includes a planned 6,200-seat amphitheater of its own.
Clearly, Southern California’s waterfronts are becoming go-to zones for large-scale live-entertainment growth.
Why this matters for you
If you’re in real estate, event planning, hospitality, or venue services, this is a development worth watching:
- Real‐estate impact: A high-profile entertainment venue typically brings increased traffic, higher area awareness and potential boosts to surrounding property value.
- Lifestyle angle: For locals and future residents, having a major venue nearby means access to top-tier live events right in your backyard — a plus in the “live-work-play” equation.
- Business opportunity: Think event staffing, catering, parking logistics, merchandise pop‐ups — with 300,000 annual attendees projected, the ripple effect could be significant.
- Timing matters: With construction slated for Summer 2026, you’ve got time to line up business plans, marketing strategies or property decisions that align with the venue’s debut.
Who is The Prestige Team?
Rancho Palos Verdes Realtor Broker Associate Karen Anderson, along with her Real Estate Team, The Prestige Team, has been selling residential real estate in the South Bay, including Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, and far beyond LA County, for over 27 years and is ranked in the top 1% of realtors in Rancho Palos Verdes. We specialize in transforming homes into impeccably presented real estate listings that command top dollar in the shortest amount of time!
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