The Bon Secours Wellness Arena master plan, unveiled on Thursday, April 17, calls for renovations, an entertainment district, and a new outdoor amphitheater. The 12-acre site at the corner of East North + Academy Streets — known as the arena district — aims to be “the Upstate’s premier hub for live events and concerts.”
Outdoor amphitheater
The proposal: A new 6,500-seat outdoor amphitheater
To compare, the Peace Center’s outdoor concert pavilion holds 1,200 people + CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park holds 10,000. See our full list of local music venues and their capacities.
The “why?”: Bon Secours Wellness Arena General Manager Beth Paul tells us the demand for outdoor concerts in Greenville is “tremendous.”
The impact: Projected to create 545 jobs + generate an estimated $63 million in annual economic impact
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
The arena | Renderings by LS3P, LMN, and Gensler
Arena renovations
The proposal: Renovating the 25-year-old, 15,500-seat arena
The “why?”: To stay competitive in the Southeast and attract even more of your favorite artists and events
The impact: Behind-the-scenes — the plans address artists’ needs for staging and production as the live music industry evolves + the plans feature front-of-house changes like adding accessible seating, expanding restrooms, increasing food and beverage options, and improving traffic flow + crowd management.
Entertainment district
The proposal: Transforming the parking lot into an entertainment district with restaurants, retail, and public spaces for daily use
Worried about parking? The plans call for a new garage under the amphitheater that would also serve the purpose of leveling the grounds.
The “why?”: To foster a deeper connection between the arena district and Downtown Greenville
What’s next?
The hope is to finalize this plan by the end of the year by further developing the designs, refining cost estimates, and exploring funding strategies. Paul tells us they’re looking at accommodations tax funds. We could see improvements begin in 2026 or early 2027.
