Winston-Salem City Council greenlights new downtown music venue

The Winston-Salem City Council is moving forward with plans for a new outdoor music venue near the Benton Convention Center.

On Tuesday, council members voted 6–2 to lease city-owned land to developers for just $1 a month, clearing the way for a 5,000-seat amphitheater downtown.

Some residents voiced concerns about how the project could affect quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood. Councilmember Robert Clark pushed back.

“Most people in this town are affected by traffic or noise,” Clark said. “It is the price we pay to live in this community with all the benefits we get.”

To comply with city noise ordinances, concerts will be required to end by 11 p.m. Developers plan to meet this week with residents of Crystal Towers, a public housing development across from the proposed site, to discuss their concerns.

The venue could open as soon as next spring.