Jun 9, 2026 _ news

The Farmer Music Center Breaks Ground

Music Entertainment Management Inc (MEMI) recently held a media day event to celebrate the groundbreaking of The Farmer Music Center and tour the press and other guests around the construction progress to-date. Having worked with MEMI on the design of The Andrew J Brady Center Music Center in downtown Cincinnati, we’re excited to partner with them on this new, 19,000-person capacity live music venue, which is slated to open in the fall of 2027.

“It has all of the modern amenities concertgoers want today,” GBBN Associate Principal and project lead Scott Kyle tells The Cincinnati Enquirer. “It is styled like an arena but also feels intimate.” How does the design pull that off?

Intimacy with the stage was critical. The relationship between the seats and the performer was carefully calibrated so audiences can feel close—seeing the energy and effort of a live performance—without compromising sightlines for others. That single move influenced the placement of every row, ensuring that no seat was sacrificed in favor of exclusivity.

By stacking clubs, concessions, and restrooms beneath the seating bowl, patron travel distances were cut in half while doubling the number of concession points. That efficiency translates directly into revenue while making it just as easy to grab a drink or find a restroom as it is at home. The clubs—each with its own identity inspired by the idea of “glamping,”—offer a range of price points and experiences, while also creating rentable, climate-controlled spaces for off-season events.

Live music looks very different than it did five years ago. Post-COVID, audiences are more selective, artists’ business models have shifted, and venues are competing not just with each other—but with the comfort and convenience of people’s living rooms. The Farmer Music Center reimagines what a concert venue can be by filtering design moves through a simple question: does this make the experience better for the person holding the ticket?

Environmental graphic design was integrated early, resulting in clear wayfinding signage, custom artwork, a consistent color story, and 18 intentional and uncluttered zones that can accommodate external brand sponsors. The result will be a venue that functions beautifully, feels effortless to navigate, and positioned as a true cultural destination—one designed not just for today’s concertgoer, but for the future of live music.

Read our case study on this project here.

View a virtual tour of The Farmer Music Center here.

Read more press about The Farmer Music Center in The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Read about our design of The Andrew J Brady Music Center.

Read “No One Leaves the House to Wait in Line” to get more of our insights about live music venue design.