New Shakopee concert venue will be named Mystic Lake Amphitheater

A long-awaited Shakopee amphitheater won’t host its first concert for nearly a year, but the venue officially has a name.

Mystic Lake Amphitheater will welcome thousands of fans come summer 2026, officials said at a Tuesday morning news conference, injecting a bit of excitement into a project that’s faced significant delays.

The name is a partnership between the multinational entertainment company and the nearby casino and hotel owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC). The venue is expected to generate 700 jobs and bring a $138 million economic impact to the area, said Jason Moutry, a Live Nation general manager.

Josh Lacey, a Minnesota-based market president for Live Nation, said in an interview that it’s too early to say what the collaboration will entail beyond naming rights.

“We’re really excited to be able to partner with a local entity on the naming rights for this new facility, and Mystic Lake was a really natural fit with their deep ties to this community and their expertise in hospitality and entertainment,” Lacey said.

Mystic Lake, which opened in 1992, is one of several entertainment ventures the SMSC owns, including a Prior Lake casino and a golf course. Angela Heikes, the president and CEO of the tribe’s gaming enterprise, said the project reflects the tribal community’s longstanding effort to “be a good neighbor.”

The partnership will entail an “integration” between the casino and concert venue before and after shows. Heikes called it “keeping the party going.”

Shakopee Mayor Matt Lehman previously told the Star Tribune that supply line issues were to blame for the delay. On Tuesday morning, he struck a more optimistic tone.

“There isn’t a bad seat in the place,” he said.

Live Nation, the company that owns Ticketmaster, will operate the amphitheater, which is taking shape near gambling and horse racing destination Canterbury Park. Swervo Development Corp., the company that transformed the Armory in downtown Minneapolis into a concert venue, is constructing the south metro venue.

Lacey said Live Nation will announce the concert schedule for the summer 2026 season at a later date, but he anticipates the venue will attract “top touring talent.”

Mystic Lake Amphitheater isn’t the only outdoor venue that will soon expand concert options for music fans in the Twin Cities and its suburbs. The Minneapolis City Council recently approved plans for an 8,000-seat amphitheater on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city’s North Side.

Shakopee’s amphitheater will anchor a nearby entertainment district that could include breweries, restaurants and hotels. The venue itself will feature permanent seats and chair-free general admission, plus concessions and paved parking lots.

Construction is well underway. The Tuesday morning news conference took place in a ground-floor concessions area overlooking the stage. Renderings flashing on flatscreen TVs behind the bar displayed the covered amphitheater overlooking a sprawling lawn fit for thousands of concertgoers.

“Minnesota is one of the best music markets anywhere, so we couldn’t be more excited to bring a world-class venue to Minnesota,” Lacey said.