Spanning 10 acres along the Grand River, just south of downtown Grand Rapids, the Acrisure Amphitheater aims to redefine entertainment in the West Michigan region. A $127 million entertainment hub, the Pioneer-Barton Malow-built project for Grand Action 2.0 promises to foster community cohesion, expand cultural gathering opportunities, and infuse vitality into the surrounding area.
The amphitheater will include 7,000 fixed seats, 5,000 lawn seats, food and beverage spaces, a performance platform, talent villa, and dedicated facilities for ticketing and refreshments.
The project broke ground in May 2024, following the demolition of the existing structure formerly owned by the Grand Rapids Department of Public Works. Initial footing and foundation work for the primary building were completed that summer before the team moved on to completing the main stage, stage walls, and canopy construction.
Canopy Work: Significant Coordination
Topping out was celebrated in March of 2025 following the installation of two million pounds of structural steel placed for the canopy, which stretches a football field wide and long and as deep as a two-story house. Due to its size, the canopy had to be assembled on site, with four shoring towers used during the erection process before the six permanent columns – three on each side – are installed, converging into two nodes at ground level that provides unobstructed audience views and support a canopy that will enhance acoustics. Each node weighs approximately 16,000 pounds and is supported by 25 micropiles at roughly 100+ feet deep. The nodes were manufactured in a Brazilian foundry in partnership with Canadian based CastConnex, which provided steel solutions for major projects across the industry, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the Sphere in Las Vegas.
What Grand Action Comes Next
Now that the canopy has been successfully installed, the next major project is cladding the canopy with architectural metal panels, the building envelope, and backfill and surcharge of the berm (lawn seating). The project’s anticipated completion date is spring of 2026.
