New plans for Bon Secours Wellness Arena debuted before Greenville County leadership on Tuesday, Jan. 20, as three ordinances were introduced to help secure funding to make the project’s master plan a reality.
Here are the latest designs for the 12-acre campus:
Outdoor amphitheater
The proposal: A new 6,000- to 7,000-seat outdoor amphitheater — the first of its kind in downtown Greenville. To compare, the Peace Center’s outdoor concert pavilion holds 1,200 people, and the CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park holds 10,000. See our full list of local music venues and their capacities.
The “why?”: To position Greenville competitively with recently opened and forthcoming amphitheaters in Raleigh, Richmond, and Birmingham + create natural routing opportunities for touring acts moving through the Southeast
The impact: Expected to host 25 to 30 touring concerts annually, plus 25+ community events, summer series programming, and other activations — part of a broader goal to activate the campus year-round
More details: To reduce costs, these designs eliminate parking beneath the amphitheater, as seen in the initial Master Plan, and instead expand the Church Street parking garage.
Arena renovations
The proposal: Renovating the 15,500-seat arena to align with modern expectations for ADA accessibility, guest experience, artist amenities, and operational infrastructure
The “why?”: Back-of-house upgrades are critical for securing major events like the SEC Women’s Basketball Championship and NCAA men’s basketball early rounds, which have a great economic impact (and saves you money)
The impact: Concourses would gain additional restrooms, expanded ADA seating areas, improved circulation, new food and beverage service areas, and a new kitchen
More details: A new Church Street entrance would address pedestrian congestion and safety concerns near I-385, improving screening, crowd flow, and arrival experience.
More renderings
The entire campus | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
The amphitheater | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
Inside the amphitheater | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
Winter activation of the campus | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
The lobby | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
Pepsi Terrace (enclosed) | Renderings by LS3P and Gensler
What’s next?
- The three ordinances to secure funding had their first hearing last night and will continue through the county approval process
- A public hearing will be held before the third reading
- A sound study will be conducted for the outdoor amphitheater
