Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Builds New Music Venue

The orchestra’s acquisition of Coney Island Inc.’s assets will see the launch of a $118 million entertainment venue 

After 137 years, Ohio’s Coney Island amusement park and assets have been sold to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and its subsidiary organization, Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI).

The park site will permanently cease operations on December 31, 2023, making way for a $118 million “one-of-a-kind entertainment campus,” comprising new performance technologies and amenities, advanced sound systems, and adaptable seating arrangements. 

Aimed at complementing existing venues in the area including the Riverbend and PNC Pavilion, the new amphitheater is currently set to open in 2026 — its preliminary designs are currently in progress.

“We are building a new home for live music events that will offer a mesmerizing fusion of cutting-edge technology and architectural significance,” explained CSO’s president Jonathan Martin according to WLWT5. “This new development will usher in the future of the music industry, and we are proud to be leading the next step in the same way Riverbend changed the face of live music in our community 40 years ago when it opened. 

“Now, with CSO's historic success with Riverbend and PNC Pavilion, we are creating an expanded music, arts and entertainment campus for the region to drive artistic excellence and innovation as well as the local economy.”

“Cincinnati's new music, arts and entertainment campus will bring us into an exciting future while acknowledging our proud history,” said MEMI’s CEO Mike Smith. “We are considering how to incorporate contemporarily appropriate and historically significant acknowledgments to the history of the location.”

“It’ll allow us to utilize Riverbend Music Center, where it stands right now, PNC Pavilion, as well as — in addition to the new venue — we’ll be able to do bigger and better events like festivals down the road,” added Rosemarie Moehring, MEMI’s vice president of marketing. 

MEMI also owns and operates Cincinnati’s popular music venues, including the Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, and the Taft Theatre and Ballroom.