On Friday, March 14, the final steel beam was placed on the 12,000-seat Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, Michigan, capping 2.2 million pounds of total steel on the venue’s towering canopy and marking another significant milestone on the way to substantial completion.
Construction crews, a host of community leaders, and various area media outlets gathered at the downtown site for the topping out ceremony, which also marks roughly the halfway point in the two-year-long project for the Pioneer-Barton Malow joint venture.
Acrisure’s steel canopy measures roughly the length and width of a football field and the depth of a two-story house. The canopy required approximately 53,000 pounds of bolts, and the largest steel truss weighs a whopping 254,512 pounds. The structure aims to shelter roughly 75% of the fixed seating area from adverse weather conditions and enhance acoustics.
With 240,000 pounds of steel remaining, project teams will clad the canopy with architectural metal panels, pour concrete for the seating bowl, complete the building envelope, and backfill the berm for lawn seating in the coming months. The project is on track to open in the spring of 2026.
The $127 million entertainment destination, which broke ground last spring, will span 10 acres along the Grand River and plans to bring approximately 300,000 visitors per season. Additional amenities include concessions, VIP terraces, a performance platform, a talent villa for performers, and dedicated facilities for ticketing and refreshments.
Media Coverage
MLive: Grand Rapids amphitheater halfway built as workers host canopy ‘topping-off ceremony’
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: ‘Huge milestone’ in Acrisure Amphitheater construction
KZZM: Topping-off ceremony marks halfway point in Grand Rapids amphitheater construction
Wood Radio: Top This: Officials hold ceremony at future Acrisure Amphitheater
