Venue Application Systems Administrator

$5 billion 'OCVibe' complex in Anaheim is rapidly coming to life - here's an exclusive first look at the 5,000-capacity concert hall. $5 billion 'OCVibe' complex in Anaheim is rapidly coming to life - here's an exclusive first look at the 5,000-capacity concert hall ashley king july 28, 2026. Anaheim's $5 billion 'OCVibe' mega-project has reached a major construction milestone for its concert hall, with a March 2027 grand opening on the calendar. Now, agents, promoters, managers, and other concert execs are getting a first look at this brand-new Southern California venue. OCVibe's highly anticipated 5,000-capacity concert hall in Anaheim reached a major construction milestone this week with the first seat installations. To commemorate the occasion, the development welcomed media, music industry executives, and key partners to a first look. This was a hard hat-only tour, with safety glasses, work boots and a lengthy indemnification signature required before the tour began. Thankfully, nothing dropped from the rafters - though frankly the venue structure was mostly completed and felt completely safe. Orange County's newest live entertainment destination is slated for a March 2027 opening, with plenty of mixed-use dining, shopping, and recreational uses on tap. According to backers and builders behind the project, OCVibe is intended to offer another Southern California option for smaller events, especially for those seeking a quieter spot between San Diego and Los Angeles. That was the same line of thinking behind the just-constructed Long Beach Amphitheater, christened by local legend Snoop Dogg himself. It's all part of a booming Southern California concert scene spurring huge venue investments - not in the millions, but in the billions of dollars. Back in Anaheim, the OCVibe concert hall is literally in the shadow of the arena-sized Honda Center, depending on the time of day (and yes, there's plenty of sun in these parts). But for events and artists that can't fill arenas, OCVibe offers a downsized complement according to execs chatting with DMN. "The concert hall represents an opportunity to strengthen Orange County's role in the entertainment landscape," said Eric Bresler, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for OCVibe. "By creating a purpose-built venue for live music within the larger OCVibe district, we're building an ecosystem that supports artists, attracts more performances, and continues to establish Anaheim as a standalone market for live entertainment." The limited preview tour showcased significant construction progress throughout the venue. That included the installation of the first permanent seating areas, a number of backstage artist spaces, and the installation of some unique signature touches. "The preview offered a glimpse into the level of care and planning behind every aspect of the concert hall," said Tina Suca, Senior Vice President of Venue Operations for OCVibe. "While construction continues, you can already see how the design, technology, and guest experience are coming together to create a venue unlike anything else in Orange County." Designed by Populous - whose portfolio includes Sphere in Las Vegas, Yankee Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - the concert hall will expand OCVibe's venue ecosystem. This purpose-built venue for live entertainment complements the aforementioned Honda Center, as well as a rehashed Golden Bear and a vast expanse of public gathering spaces. "The OCVibe concert hall represents a new generation of live entertainment venues designed to create an exceptional experience for audiences and artists alike," said Julie Rinaldi, Principal at Populous. "Part of the broader OCVibe district, the concert hall seamlessly blends music, public space, and community to create a destination that will evolve with Anaheim for decades." Beyond concerts and live performances, the venue has been designed to accommodate a wide range of live experiences. This includes television productions, award shows, comedy performances, corporate events, and community gatherings. The multi-use space will add a new level of flexibility to Orange County's entertainment landscape. "The concert hall adds an entirely new dimension to OCVibe's venue ecosystem," said Katie Pederson, Vice President of Special Events for OCVibe. "Its adaptable design allows us to host everything from live entertainment to film and television productions, award shows, galas, and corporate gatherings, while complementing our existing venues to create a destination capable of bringing a wide range of experiences to life." Led by OCVibe's entertainment and venue operations teams, Digital Music News and other attendees toured the future artist suites, backstage areas, the main auditorium, the Gallagher Club, and Stretto Cafe. DMN was also given a firsthand and detailed view of how construction continues to advance throughout the venue. A favorite stop during the tour was the massive Arbutus 'Marina' tree planted in the concert hall's indoor/outdoor artist lounge. Estimated at 17 to 20 years old, the tree had been carefully nurtured for years before reaching its permanent home within the district, where it had to be craned into place. "When the OCVibe design team shared their vision for incorporating this incredible feature into the concert hall, we saw an opportunity to help bring something truly unique to life. The incorporation of the Arbutus 'Marina' tree into the artist area reflects OCVibe's broader commitment to creating a landscape that feels authentic to the destination and connected to the experience's guests and artists will have throughout the district," shared Jim Tracy, CEO of Park West, OCVibe's landscape operations partner. The Early November lead singer Ace Enders, performing after the OCVibe construction walkthrough (Photo Credit: OCVibe) Following the hard-hat tour, guests gathered at ARTIC for an immersive presentation showcasing the broader OCVibe district. That presentation highlighted the complex's perks, including a public arts program, entertainment venues, chef-driven dining destinations, and future mixed-use neighborhoods. The afternoon concluded with a surprise acoustic performance by Ace Enders of The Early November, offering attendees a preview of the live music experiences the venue is being built to deliver. More specifically, the March 2027 'phase one' will include the concert hall as well as Katella Commons, OCVibe's 50,000-square-foot chef-driven market hall, and The Weave, Orange County's first mass timber mixed-use office building.

Ocvibe development taps Daktronics for immersive digital displays. Image: OCVIBE/Daktronics March 13, 2026 Ocvibe, a 100-acre mixed-use development transforming the area surrounding Honda Center in California, is partnering with Daktronics, which provides immersive digital displays and experiential environments, to install a digital display system able to power large-scale, high-impact digital moments across the Ocvibe campus. Centered around 20,000 square feet of LED digital displays in the district's Urban Park, the technology package will create an immersive environment that elevates the overall guest experience, according to a press release. The partnership is a $25 million investment in Daktronics technology. "From the beginning, we've been intentional about how technology helps shape the Ocvibe experience," Graham Siderius, senior vice president and chief partnerships officer at Ocvibe, said in the release. "These digital displays aren't just screens, they're part of the fabric of the district, designed to guide guests, spark discovery, and create shared moments in real time. By integrating this technology at the ground level, we're elevating the guest experience in a way that feels seamless, dynamic, and uniquely Orange County." Ocvibe's partnership with Daktronics will ensure the digital surfaces throughout the district will be dynamic, responsive touch points that guide, inform, and inspire guests in a creative way each time they visit. "The displays will provide amazing opportunities to engage with the public," Robin Hall, Daktronics live events regional sales manager, said in the release. "Integrating this technology from the beginning unlocks near unlimited potential to engage audiences and create memorable experiences that keep people coming back again and again." Daktronics will deploy a cohesive network of 20,000 square feet of digital displays across key public spaces, including parking and arrival zones, plazas and parks, Honda Center, and Katella Commons - the district's market hall. The coordinated system will deliver real-time updates and immersive visuals, enabling a mix of independent and synchronized content across the neighborhood, while allowing for real-time programming. Highlights of the system include: * A media screen located within the Urban Park measuring 36-feet-high by 126-feet-wide featuring a 8-millimeter pixel spacing. * A 32.5-foot-high by 126-foot-wide marquee spanning the Katella and Cerritos parking garages featuring a 10-millimeter pixel spacing. * More than 400 additional digital displays throughout Ocvibe's parking garages. The Ocvibe partnership with Daktronics builds upon a 20-plus year partnership the firm has had with Honda Center, home of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. Inside the arena, Daktronics installed a high-definition center-hung display system used at Ducks games, concerts, and other sporting events. Most recently, Honda Center refreshed its ribbon displays and arena end displays in 2022.