Here's what we know about the new $65 million PNE amphitheatre

A rendering for the new PNE amphitheatre is shown. (PNE)

The Pacific National Exhibition unveiled design renderings for a brand new amphitheatre Wednesday, saying it will be a “jewel in Vancouver’s crown” of performance venues.

Replacing the current, uncovered amphitheatre that was built in 1966, the new venue will have a roof, which according to the PNE will be one of the largest “free-span timber roof structures” in the world.

The amphitheatre will be able to accommodate audiences ranging from 1,500 to 10,000, PNE CEO Shelley Frost explained at a press conference Wednesday.

The venue will include VIP suites, lounge space, common areas and catering options along with amenities such as accessible washrooms, merchandise sales and food and drink concession.

The amphitheatre was designed by Vancouver-based Revery Architecture and is anticipated to cost $65 million.

Frost also said sound-mitigation is a priority in the structure’s design, with the triangular roof providing a “significant sound barrier.”

“We wanted to create a unique experience for both the audience and performers, in a world-class amphitheatre,” Venelin Kokalov of Revery Architecture says in a news release.

“Our architectural solution was an elegant structure that will cover the amphitheatre, gracefully landing on three points into the landscape. This gesture will frame vistas to the mountains and the surrounding context, creating transparency at the human level and an intimate atmosphere under the warmth of the wood.”

The venue is expected to host 75 performances per year, including community arts and culture shows, commercial shows, corporate shows and the ever-popular PNE Summer Night Concerts.

“The project will be designed to showcase British Columbia building products and engineering while adhering to the highest standards of environmental sustainability,” Frost said in the news release. “We believe there will not be another venue like this anywhere in Canada.”

The PNE also announced a nation-wide call for sponsors to purchase naming rights for the various sections of the venue.

Vancouver city council gave the PNE the go-ahead on the amphitheatre project in 2021. The design process is wrapping up in 2023, and construction is set to begin in 2024.

The new amphitheatre is expected to be open for summer 2026.