A massive outdoor concert destination is rising in Riverside, promising to reshape the Kansas City region’s live music scene when the 16,000-capacity Morton Amphitheater welcomes its first crowds this summer — replacing construction equipment with scores of fans in a space designed to make the most of their night out.
“It’s actually really centrally located within the Kansas City overall metro area,” said John Ahrens, executive vice president of design and construction at Live Nation, which operates the Morton Amphitheater just west of the Argosy Casino and near the I-635 and US 69 interchange. “We have interstate access that goes into Kansas. We’re very close to downtown, so we really like this location just for its proximity within the entire region.”
During a tour of the active construction site Friday, project leaders walked through the future entry plaza, seating bowl and backstage areas, offering a glimpse of the fan and artist experience the venue aims to deliver.
A rendering by Generator Studio shows the expected fan entry experience at Morton Amphitheater; courtesy image
Building the night
For Ahrens, the design of the amphitheater starts long before fans ever reach their seats.
A view of the entry space and concert venue at Morton Amphitheater; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“At most of our venues, the entry plaza space is parallel with the building; but one of the things that we looked at for this particular building: we actually rotated it 90 degrees, so it goes into the parking lot,” he explained.
The layout is meant to funnel fans from their cars into an outdoor gathering space before entering the venue.
“All the folks from the parking lot gather into this center section where the landscaping is and actually then filter in through the building and join the end of the line,” said Ahrens. “The intent of this is to have a really park-like atmosphere from the car into the building.”
Once inside, the open plaza will function as a social hub before concerts begin, with food vendors, merchandise stands and open space for fans to spend time together before heading to their seats.
“We’re hoping that people come a little bit early, have some food, hang out, have a good time and then enjoy the show,” said Ahrens. “Just really thinking about a night out. Come and enjoy yourself. Get here early, sit out in the sun, get something to eat and relax.”
John Ahrens, executive vice president of design and construction at Live Nation, and Tim Burris, general manager of Morton Amphitheater, at the venue; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Moving thousands of fans smoothly
Inside the venue, the amphitheater is built to hold about 16,000 people across reserved seating, lawn seating and premium viewing areas. Designers also focused heavily on how fans move throughout the venue during shows.
“We created these tunnels through the back of the lawn and into the seating bowl,” said Ahrens. “So all the folks in those areas, if they need to come back here grab a drink or use the restroom or any other fan amenities, they can do that very quickly throughout the show.”
The layout helps keep fans connected to the main plaza and concessions without missing too much of the performance.
The view from the stage at Morton Amphitheater; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
A backstage designed for touring life
Behind the stage, Live Nation is also experimenting with a different approach to artist and crew spaces.
The amphitheater includes an “artist village” area centered around an outdoor hangout space surrounded by dressing rooms.
“They’ve been on a tour bus all night coming here,” said Ahrens. “They show up and they have their family with them, potentially. Creating a central hang space outside in the middle we thought was a really important element.”
The space will include turf, seating areas and gathering spots designed to give artists a place to relax together before performing.
“From somebody who used to tour, this is great,” said Tim Burris, general manager of Morton Amphitheater, a 35-year industry veteran who has produced and managed all-sized live entertainment and sporting events, including multiple Super Bowl Half Time Shows, Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, concerts, tours and music festivals, working with the likes of Van Morrison, BonJovi, John Legend and John Secada.
“Everybody does become your family. They’re bringing their dogs, their kids,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t get to go out, so to have an outdoor space just to hang out, go inside and get a little privacy is huge.”
Back on the stage, looking out over the unfinished bowl that will soon hold thousands of concertgoers, Burris reflected on the scale of the project.
“It’s amazing and fulfilling to see a process just go from an idea to something real,” said Burris. “We’re excited to bring this to Kansas City.”
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