Gibson Amphitheatre to close, make room for Harry Potter attraction
- Share via
A celebrated musical venue will close at Universal City to make way for a new magical venue.
The Gibson Amphitheatre, a 6,100-seat hall that has hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, will close in September, clearing the way for construction of a Harry Potter-themed attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Live Nation, the venue’s operator, announced the closure Wednesday, citing the end of an agreement under which the site has been leased from Universal.
Universal Studios Hollywood announced plans more than a year ago to bring a new Harry Potter attractions to the theme park but details about where it would fit in the theme park have remained a mystery until now.
Miss you, Backdraft! The top 10 theme park rides we loved and lost
Universal Studios officials confirmed that the site of the amphitheatre will be part of the land used to begin building the Harry Potter attraction this summer.
The theater, formerly known as the Universal Amphitheatre, opened as an outdoor venue in 1972 and was rebuilt as an enclosed hall in 1982.
Vicente Fernandez, who holds the venue’s record for most consecutive sold-out (14) shows, is playing three concerts this weekend.
Live Nation announced that anyone with tickets for shows scheduled after September should hold on to them, as the company is working to move the events to other venues.
ALSO:
Universal Studios unveils Harry Potter attraction plans for L.A.
NBCUniversal scraps plan to build housing on Universal back lot
‘Despicable Me’ attraction coming to Universal Studios Hollywood
More to Read
Inside the business of entertainment
The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.