Mystic Lake Amphitheater will officially open June 20 in Shakopee, Minnesota, with a $20 opening-night celebration that mixes music, comedy and a nod to the state’s homegrown scene. The first act on the new stage will be students from School of Rock, and St. Paul native and Saturday Night Live cast member Tommy Brennan will host the event.
The opening-night lineup also includes Motion City Soundtrack, Ber and Rocket Club, with a headliner to be announced later. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund, tying the debut to a local cause as the new live nation venue takes its first public step.
Tickets for the June 20 opening go on pre-sale Thursday, May 7 at 10 a.m., with general sales starting Friday, May 8 at 10 a.m. Organizers say the venue is built for live music, with unobstructed views and an outdoor plaza overlooking the Minnesota River Valley, and that it will also be used for community gatherings and private events.
The 19,000-capacity amphitheater is expected to host more than 35 concerts in its first season, beginning with its first official show on June 22 headlined by MGK. The calendar after that is packed: Dave Matthews Band on June 23, Bob Dylan on July 6, Lil Wayne with 2 Chainz on July 18, Hilary Duff on July 25, Chris Stapleton on July 29 and July 30, Kesha on Aug. 3, Guns N' Roses on Aug. 8, Willie Nelson's Outlaw Festival on Aug. 19, Mötley Crüe on Aug. 21, Wu-Tang Clan on Sept. 1, Iron Maiden on Sept. 19 and Pitbull with Lil Jon on Sept. 26.
Officials say the venue will carry real economic weight, with a projected $138 million annual regional impact. They say it will generate $73 million in local spending and $11 million in tax revenue, with about half of the yearly impact expected to come from visitors traveling in from outside the market.
That makes the opening more than a ribbon-cutting for Shakopee. It is the start of a summer run meant to turn a new 19,000-seat stage into a regional destination, and the June 20 debut is being used to set the tone: affordable tickets, local performers and a fundraiser attached to the first night out.
