The cattle auction days are over at a historic barn in the Fort Worth Stockyards, but the crowds are still coming. The former cattle auction barn has been reborn as Auction Barn Studio, a live-music and television production space operated by RFD Studios. The updated venue keeps much of the barn’s original look while layering in modern broadcast gear and seating for roughly 375 guests. It will host concerts, private rentals and productions, with its first public show scheduled for Saturday, July 11 at 6 p.m.
From Auction Floor to Broadcast Booth
RFD Network is pitching the project as part of a broader expansion of its original programming and in-house production, noting that the company now runs studio centers in Nashville and in the Fort Worth Stockyards, according to a Business Wire release. That release describes the Stockyards studio as one of several physical production hubs that will support new lifestyle, music and unscripted shows for the network.
Built for Broadcast and Live Audiences
The company says Auction Barn Studio has been outfitted with multi-camera production infrastructure, live switching capabilities, LED stage lighting, a full control room and configurable staging, while original touches such as the wooden bleachers and the old scale room remain in place, according to RFD Network. The announcement notes the venue seats approximately 375 guests and will be open for private rentals, corporate events, premieres and television productions. RFD also pointed out that the space has already served as a production hub for nationally televised programming during the PBR World Finals.
"It feels fitting that a media company where rural stories live is writing a new story for one of the most iconic spaces in the Fort Worth Stockyards," Raquel Gottsch Koehler said, adding that the goal was to honor the building's history while updating it for a new generation, per RFD Network. Gatsby Gottsch Solheim called the venue an exciting new chapter for the network, and company representatives say additional artist announcements are on the way in the weeks ahead.
First Shows, Tickets and Summer Programming
The Stockyards' events calendar lists "Stockyards Gospel Night" on July 11 at 6 p.m. as the new venue's first public show and directs ticket-buyers to Etix for purchases, according to the Fort Worth Stockyards events page. Event listings such as Bandsintown confirm that Gene McDonald is among the performers announced so far. Organizers say the Auction Barn will feature a mix of gospel, country and Texas-swing programming as part of a broader summer lineup in the Stockyards.
Old Bones, New Purpose
The Auction Barn sits at 409 E. Exchange Ave. in the Stockyards National Historic District, where public permit and project records show core-and-shell and interior renovation work has been completed in recent years. Project records from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and commercial property listings such as LoopNet corroborate the address and the overhaul that paved the way for the studio conversion.
Local business columnist Bob Francis has followed the project in the Fort Worth Report, framing the transformation as part of a wider Stockyards revitalization that blends heritage tourism with new entertainment and production activity. With ticketed shows and production bookings already on the calendar, Auction Barn Studio is positioning itself as a small but distinctive anchor for live TV tapings and intimate concerts in the heart of the Stockyards.
