Entertainment companies Monqui Presents and AEG Presents broke ground on their new Lloyd Center music venue at a press conference Oct. 22.<\/p>\n
Standing in what was once the women\u2019s shoe department of the now-demolished Nordstrom and what will soon be the music venue\u2019s lobby, business leaders from Monqui, AEG and Lloyd Center all shared their visions for what a few of them called \u201ca game-changer\u201d for the Portland live music scene.<\/p>\n
Gov. Tina Kotek spoke at the press conference about how the venue will be a boon to Portland\u2019s robust culture of music and performance and to the Lloyd District.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to bring a new legacy to this neighborhood,\u201d Kotek said. \u201cThis is a catalytic project for this community and serves, literally, as a cornerstone for the future development of Lloyd Center Mall.\u201d<\/p>\n The venue\u2014which does not have a name yet\u2014will open in the first quarter of 2027, according to Monqui co-founder Mike Quinn. AEG and Monqui, a longtime local promotion company, plan to host 125-150 events there in 2027. The three-story venue will stand at 68,000 square feet and have a capacity for 4,000 guests. It will provide 17 full-time jobs and 80\u2013100 hourly staff per show.<\/p>\n The press conference also served as an important marker in the race between Monqui and Live Nation, who are both striving to build new venues in town. Live Nation pulled a variety of building permits for its property at 1211 SE Water Ave., this fall. A permit issued Sept. 18 is for a new two-story building with a mezzanine, food services, artist locker rooms, loading dock, offices and an artist lounge.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wweek.com\/resizer\/v2\/GXT75N7KWFAU7GJWLUVVJRU7U4.jpg?auth=f469f09e8deed00d278b8b5528560a2f24048c33586a40a550304ededd37852b&width=800&height=445\")