17 KiB
17 KiB
Mixed-Use Entertainment Development Intel Report
Last Updated: February 1, 2026
Coverage: Last 90 days (Nov 2025 – Feb 2026) + key mid-2025 announcements
Sources: Bisnow, REBusinessOnline, Sports Business Journal, BizJournals, Blooloop, GlobeSt, Connect CRE, general news
🔴 HIGHEST PRIORITY — Actively Raising Capital / Seeking Partners
These projects are confirmed to be in fundraising, seeking JV partners, or have open RFPs.
| Project | Location | Developer | Est. Cost/Size | Stage | Key Details | Capital/Partner Status | Key People | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forge Atlanta | Atlanta, GA | Webstar Technology Group / Urbantec Development Partners | $3.7B total ($756M Phase 1) / 8.4M SF on 10 acres | Site acquired Dec 2025; lining up financing for 2026 groundbreaking | Phase 1: 300-room hotel, 600 luxury condos, 60,500 SF retail + entertainment, sports entertainment complex; Full build: 2,300 residences, 600K SF office, 200K SF data center | ACTIVELY RAISING CAPITAL — $33.7M seller financing secured; pursuing $223.7M inducement from Dev Authority of Fulton County, institutional loans/equity, bond issuance, digital asset tokenization, condo presales, and forthcoming stock offering. Penny stock company (WEBSTAR) — high risk profile. | Ricardo Haynes (CEO, Webstar) | Bisnow |
| Ole Miss Vaught-Hemingway District | Oxford, MS | RFP OPEN — seeking developer partner | TBD / 25 acres | RFP issued Dec 10, 2025 | Mixed-use condotel (30+ condos), 35K+ SF retail/dining, entertainment district, stadium modernization (premium seating, student section), half-acre plaza; P3 (public-private partnership) structure | OPEN RFP — University seeking developer to design, build, finance, operate and maintain. Responses being collected. Brailsford & Dunlavey advising. | Keith Carter (AD, Ole Miss) | SBJ |
| VENU Holding Corp (Multiple Sites) | TX, FL, and other U.S. markets | VENU Holding Corp (NYSE: VENU) | $1.1B+ under construction; $5B+ pipeline | Active construction on multiple amphitheaters | Five new amphitheaters including 20K-seat Texas venue (Live Nation operated); Aramark F&B partnerships at five venues; Filed $1B S-3 shelf (Dec 2025) for securities issuances | ACTIVELY RAISING PUBLIC CAPITAL — Raised $34.5M+ in 2025; $1B shelf registration filed Dec 2025 for working capital, venue development, acquisitions, debt repayment. Publicly traded (VENU). Low-leverage structure. | — | StockTitan |
| Ovation Orlando | Orlando (Osceola County), FL | Accesso Partners / Meyers Group (JV) | $1B+ / 670K SF on 76 acres | Site acquired Jan 2026 ($73.3M); groundbreaking Q1 2026 | Master-planned entertainment district near Disney — 5 themed districts; retail, dining, musical restaurants, live music, 740 hotel rooms/condos; opening target 2027 | Likely seeking capital partners — $1B project with only $73M land purchase closed. JV structure between Accesso and Meyers Group. Full capital stack not disclosed — significant equity gap. | — | ConnectCRE |
🟡 HIGH VALUE — Major Projects Recently Announced (Last 90 Days)
| Project | Location | Developer | Est. Cost/Size | Stage | Key Details | Capital/Funding Status | Key People | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Street Tampa Entertainment District | Tampa, FL | Strategic Property Partners (SPP) / Vinik Sports Group (VSG) | Part of $3B+ Water Street Tampa / 4 acres | Announced Dec 2025; planning phase | 3,500-seat live music venue for mid-tier artists, 250-room hotel, 100K SF retail/dining/entertainment, structured parking; across from Benchmark International Arena | Privately financed — SPP/VSG partnership. Jeff Vinik's portfolio. Arctos Partners, Doug Ostrover, Marc Lipschultz are VSG minority investors. | Jeff Vinik (VSG founder); Arctos Partners (minority) | REBusiness |
| KC Chiefs Stadium & Entertainment District | Wyandotte County, KS (near Legends) | Kansas City Chiefs / State of Kansas | $3.3B total ($3B stadium + $300M HQ); $700M-$1B entertainment district | Agreement announced Dec 2025; STAR bond package | 65K-seat domed stadium (opens 2031 season), new HQ/training facility (Olathe), shopping/dining/hotel/entertainment districts in both locations | Public-private partnership — State STAR bonds funding up to 60% of costs; team covers 40%. $500M+ in public financing. Major public subsidy structure. | Clark Hunt (Chairman, Chiefs); Gov. Laura Kelly | KS Commerce |
| MidCity Arts + Innovation Subdistrict | Huntsville, AL | RCP Companies | $300M / 12 acres (within $2.2B MidCity District) | Announced Dec 2025; planning phase | 3,000-seat indoor music venue, 200-room music-branded hotel, boutique hotel, Innovation Tech Campus, 60K SF retail/entertainment, relocated outdoor venue (The Camp) | Public-private partnership — Part of larger $2.2B MidCity District (one of SE's largest mall conversions). Specific capital stack not disclosed. | — | Axios Huntsville |
| Current Landing | Kansas City, MO | Palmer Square Real Estate Mgmt / Angie & Chris Long (KC Current owners) | $1B / 23 acres | Under construction; Phase 1 opening Spring 2026 | Waterfront mixed-use district anchored by CPKC Stadium; restaurants, 2-acre town square, hundreds of apartments (River's Edge, Confluence buildings), retail, entertainment; timed for 2026 FIFA World Cup | Funded and under construction — First apartment pre-leasing Jan 2026. Construction moving rapidly. | Angie Long, Chris Long (KC Current co-owners) | SBJ |
| Sphere at National Harbor | National Harbor, MD (DC metro) | Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) / Peterson Companies | TBD (est. multi-hundred million) / 6,000 seats | Intent announced Jan 18, 2026 | Second U.S. Sphere; first smaller-scale design model; immersive entertainment venue at National Harbor destination | $200M in state/local/private incentives announced. Sphere is public company (SPHR). Peterson Companies is established local developer/owner of National Harbor. Additional capital structure TBD. | James Dolan (Sphere Entertainment); Jon Peterson (CEO, Peterson Companies); Gov. Wes Moore | Sphere Entertainment |
| Metropolitan Park | Queens, NY (Citi Field area) | Steve Cohen / Hard Rock International | $8.1B / 50 acres | Casino license approved Dec 15, 2025 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5,650-seat music venue, sportsbook, 1,000-room hotel, "Taste of Queens" food hall, 5,000 slot machines, 375 table games, 25 acres of parkland; 7 subway station renovation | $500M upfront license fee paid to state. $850M estimated annual tax revenue. Cohen self-funding (hedge fund billionaire). Fully private capital. | Steve Cohen (Mets owner); Hard Rock International | SBJ |
| Indianapolis Boxcar/Gainbridge District | Indianapolis, IN | Boxcar Development LLC (Herb Simon / Simon family) | $350M | Groundbreaking Jan 7, 2026 | 13-story Ritz-Carlton hotel (176 rooms), 4,000-seat Live Nation music venue, pedestrian bridge to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, underground parking; acquiring additional surrounding properties | $40M+ in TIF/city incentives under consideration. Simon family self-funding bulk. $300M+ private investment. 300+ FTE jobs. | Herb Simon (Pacers owner); Rick Fuson (CEO, PSE) | Live Nation |
🟢 SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS — Under Development / Advancing
| Project | Location | Developer | Est. Cost/Size | Stage | Key Details | Capital/Funding Status | Key People | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams Village at Warner Center | Woodland Hills (LA), CA | Kroenke Organization | $10B / 52 acres (100 acres total holdings) | Plans announced Apr 2025; filing with city imminent; shovels by early 2027 | Rams HQ + training facility, two entertainment venues (5,000 + 2,500 capacity), residential, retail, hotel, offices, parks; decade-long phased build | Privately funded by Stan Kroenke (billionaire). No public subsidy disclosed. Gensler is master architect. | Stan Kroenke (Rams owner); LA Councilmember Bob Blumenfield | Commercial Observer |
| Centennial Yards | Atlanta, GA | CIM Group / Centennial Yards Company | $5B+ / 50 acres | Under construction; first openings targeting 2026 FIFA World Cup | 5,300-seat Live Nation concert venue, Cosm venue, retail, hotel, residential; near Mercedes-Benz Stadium & State Farm Arena. "Epicenter of sports and entertainment for the SE U.S." | CIM Group (major institutional investor) leading. Live Nation signed long-term lease. Major institutional capital already deployed. | Brian McGowan (President, CY Company) | BusinessWire |
| Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District | Raleigh, NC | Pacific Elm Properties / Gale Force Sports & Entertainment | $1B / 80 acres | Phase 1 kicked off Dec 2025 | Phase 1: 200K SF entertainment/lifestyle retail, 150K SF office, 150-key hotel, 500+ apartments, 4,300-seat Live Nation venue, 600-ft tailgating promenade; 15-year timeline | Private development with Centennial Authority partnership (arena lease extension). Rezoning filed. | Brian Fork (CEO, Hurricanes Holdings); Philip Isley (Chairman, Centennial Authority) | NHL.com |
| Salt Lake City Entertainment District | Salt Lake City, UT | Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) / Live Nation | $1.4B (est.) | Active planning; 6,000-seat music venue announced Aug 2025 | Delta Center remodel ($525M) + district development ($375M from tax revenue); new 6,000-capacity indoor music venue (200 events/year); master architects selected Sep 2025 | $900M from Capital City Revitalization Zone tax revenue (public). $500M gap being addressed. SEG private investment. Live Nation as venue partner. | Ryan Smith (SEG); Live Nation | KSL TV |
| Staybolt Street Entertainment District | Mansfield, TX | City of Mansfield / House of Tangram / REV Entertainment | $2.5B / 100 acres | Multiple phases; some elements opening late 2025 | Multi-sport professional stadium (REV Entertainment/FC Dallas affiliate), 30-acre sports park, 45K SF High 5 Mansfield FEC, 288-room Carbon Mansfield hotel, 33K SF convention center, retail, dining, housing | Public-private partnership — House of Tangram acquired 30 acres (Jul 2025). AI-powered hotel concept. Multiple private developers within master plan. | — | Mansfield Gov |
| The Development at Cadillac Square | Detroit, MI | Bedrock LLC (Dan Gilbert) | Multi-hundred million (specific total TBD) | Groundbreaking Apr 2025; Cosm opening Fall 2026 | Cosm live sports video dome, retail, residential, entertainment; adjacent to Campus Martius Park. Phase 2 scheduled Oct 2026. | Bedrock (Gilbert's RE arm) is primary capital source. $14M in public Revitalization & Placemaking Grants for surrounding areas. | Jared Fleisher (CEO, Bedrock); Kofi Bonner (former CEO, Bedrock) | Crain's Detroit |
| The Gallery | Madison, MS | Bellamare Development | $60M / 70 acres | Approved & under construction (started Jun 2025) | Anchored by Spinners (120K SF indoor/outdoor FEC — bowling, skating, arcade); "Royal Street" New Orleans-style dining area; boutique retail, office space | 100% privately funded — no public tax dollars. Mississippi-based developer. WBA Architecture and MP Design Group. | Mayor Mary Hawkins (Madison) | Clarion Ledger |
| Village at Gateway / Evo Entertainment | Forney, TX | Forney Legacy Holdings LLC / Evo Entertainment | Part of 120-acre mixed-use (82K SF Evo venue) | Under construction (broke ground Dec 2025; opening Fall 2026) | Largest Evo in Texas — cinema, bowling, gaming, F&B; within larger development with Target, H-E-B, Home Depot anchors | $4M city incentive agreement. Privately developed. | — | ConnectCRE |
📊 MARKET CONTEXT
Live Nation $1B Venue Investment Program
- Announced mid-2025: $1B to build 18 new/revitalized live music venues across the U.S.
- Many venues co-located with sports stadiums/arenas as part of mixed-use developments
- 2025 capex: $900M–$1B
- Significance: Live Nation is the anchor tenant for multiple projects on this list (Raleigh, SLC, Indianapolis, Centennial Yards). Their venue investment creates partnership opportunities.
Rockingham Grand Casino (New Hampshire)
- Developer: Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI)
- Cost: $180–200M
- Details: 160K SF casino, 900-seat live entertainment venue, F&B; expanding from 19K SF existing facility to full casino in state's largest mall
- Status: Planning board approved Dec 2025; announced Jan 2026
- Capital: CDI is publicly traded (CHDN). Internal financing.
Portland Foreside
- Location: Portland, ME
- Developer: Foreside Development Company / JV partners
- Cost: $600–700M next phase
- Details: 10-acre waterfront mixed-use: 400 residential units, 128-room luxury hotel, 50K SF retail/entertainment, marina
- Status: Planning board approved; under development
- Capital: Not disclosed publicly. Multiple phases.
🎯 CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY SCORING
Tier 1 — ACTIVE CAPITAL NEEDS (Outreach Targets)
- Forge Atlanta — Webstar is a penny stock company actively seeking institutional loans, equity, and bond issuance for a $756M Phase 1. High risk but massive upside. Pursuing unconventional capital (tokenization, stock offering).
- Ole Miss Vaught-Hemingway — Open RFP seeking a full development partner. True ground-floor opportunity for a developer/investor team.
- VENU Holdings — Publicly traded, $1B shelf registration filed, actively raising capital for amphitheater development pipeline. Public market opportunity.
- Ovation Orlando — $1B project with $73M land acquired. JV between Accesso and Meyers Group. Likely significant equity gap for the remaining $900M+ build-out. Groundbreaking Q1 2026.
Tier 2 — POSSIBLE CAPITAL/PARTNER NEEDS (Worth Monitoring)
- MidCity Huntsville — $300M expansion within $2.2B district; P3 structure suggests capital partner opportunities.
- Salt Lake City District — $500M funding gap identified beyond $900M in public tax revenue. SEG may need partners for district elements.
- Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District — $1B, 15-year development. Phased approach suggests ongoing capital needs across phases.
- Sphere National Harbor — Early-stage intent; full capital structure not yet disclosed beyond $200M in incentives.
Tier 3 — WELL-CAPITALIZED (Monitor for Vendor/Service Opportunities)
- Metropolitan Park NYC — $8.1B, Cohen self-funded
- Rams Village — $10B, Kroenke self-funded
- Centennial Yards — $5B+, CIM Group institutional capital
- Water Street Tampa — $3B+, Vinik/SPP well-capitalized
- Current Landing KC — $1B, under construction, funded
- KC Chiefs Stadium — $3.3B, STAR bonds + team equity
Report compiled from public sources. Capital status assessments are analytical inferences — verify directly with principals before outreach.