The long-discussed amphitheater planned for the former Cohen Stadium site is creeping closer to reality, with the City of El Paso saying the project is now in its final design stage and that construction is "ready to start within just a few months." City staff has also pushed out new design renderings to local media, a small but notable development in a process that has stretched across years of planning, negotiations and neighborhood debate over the Cohen Entertainment District. The venue is pitched as a multi-season, 12,500-seat draw that city leaders say will bring jobs and new entertainment options to Northeast El Paso.
What the city said
According to the City of El Paso, staff have circulated fresh design renderings to local stations while officials move the plans through final approvals. In a reply in the same thread, the Northeast Civics Club pointed out that earlier advertising had at one point floated a late-2025 opening, which helps explain why neighbors are still pushing for specific dates instead of broad timelines.
Project background
The amphitheater, commonly referred to as the Sunset Amphitheater, is being developed by Venu Holding Corporation and is designed to seat roughly 12,500 people, with premium "Luxe FireSuites" and a canopy intended to support year-round programming. The project terms, including conveyance of roughly 17 to 20 acres at the Cohen site and performance-based incentives, appear in the city's Chapter 380 agreement and related documents hosted on Justia.
Timeline and earlier reporting
Reporting last year chronicled a familiar cycle of starts, stops and ceremonial groundbreakings. Local outlet Hoodline noted that bulldozers were "rolling" at the Cohen site in November 2025 after city council approvals. Company materials have continued to frame 2026 as the target opening window, even as the exact schedule has shifted while contracts, inspections and entitlements are finalized.
Neighbors pressing for clarity
Community groups and neighborhood leaders say shifting dates and marketing language have left residents guessing about when they should actually expect new traffic patterns, parking impacts and ticket sales. The city's latest post is meant to narrow the window, but it still stops short of the kind of ground-clear or concrete-pour date that would lock in expectations for nearby households.
What comes next
City staff and the developer still need to finish final design work, secure remaining permits and complete entitlement steps before major vertical construction can begin. The city's post indicates that design is in its last phase. Venu has estimated the amphitheater could generate more than $2 billion in regional economic impact over its first decade, with incentive payments tied to milestone performance.
Officials say additional updates will be pushed out through local media and the city's channels as design work wraps up. For now, the public timeline has been narrowed to "months" rather than years, but specific start dates and a full construction schedule were not released on Wednesday.
