Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Chris Fama
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu cut the ribbon with a large pair of scissors at the ribbon cutting ceremony opening the MGM Music Hall at Fenway on Monday.
The ceremony marked the opening of the new state-of-the-art performing arts center located at the corner of Lansdowne Street and Ipswich Street, just behind Fenway Park. The music venue was formally opened to the public and will hold its first show on Monday, August 29 with a performance by James Taylor & His All-Star Band. The venue has over 65 shows booked for 2022, according to the MGM Music Hall.
“The completion of MGM Music Hall will be a significant contribution to Boston’s eccentric music and arts culture,” Mayor Wu said. “I’m excited to see the opportunities and the experiences that this new venue will bring to our city.”
The venue includes industry standard sound and lighting systems, four levels of seating, three lounge areas, a rooftop deck with a view of the downtown Boston skyline, and multiple food and beverage areas.
The music hall is 91,500 square feet and can hold up to 5,000 guests. It is estimated to generate tens of millions of dollars each year and bring in more business for local restaurants and shops in the area. The opening of MGM Musical Hall at Fenway created job opportunities including 80 full-time positions and 450 part-time positions, according to a statement from MGM Music Hall.
Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Chris Fama
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"Along with our partners at Live Nation, we seek to create a place where up-and-coming bands, local artists, and students of music are treated with the same care and consequence we have for elite performers," Tom Werner, Fenway Sports Group Chairman, said in a statement. "We are proud and excited to add the MGM Music Hall at Fenway to Boston’s rich music and cultural scene.”
Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Chris Fama
The venue was built on a triangular plot of land creating for a unique musical experience for guests. Jonathan Gilula, Fenway Sports Group Real Estate Managing Director, said the distinctive configuration allows the space to feel more intimate for guest creating an audio/visual experience that is "second to none.”
“What makes a venue of this size so unique are the four levels of seating, all of which are in close proximity to the stage with the farthest seat only 110 feet away from the large 80-foot-wide by 40-foot-deep stage,” Gilula said at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
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