How big is the venue that has kept Events Park under construction since the spring of 2024? The answer most people would give is 12,500 seats. That number has been attached to the project since the City first described it. From December through spring, though, it will be the wrong number.
VENU, the company that built and will run the venue, announced on September 23 that Regent Bank Amphitheater opens to the public December 4 and 5, 2026, with its full 12,500-seat capacity planned for an "inaugural summer 2027 season." Until then it runs in what the company calls a "nearly 5,000-seat theater configuration." So for its first season, east Broken Arrow gets a heated mid-size theater, with crowds less than half the size the roads were built for.
The schedule moved, and so did the size
The plan has changed in two ways over the past year. In the City Manager's December 2025 State of the City, construction was expected to wrap in September 2026, with "the first concerts occurring sometime in October 2026." The project also had a different name. When the City reopened Events Park on April 1, it was still calling the venue the Sunset Amphitheater Broken Arrow, "expected to open in the fall of 2026."
Both have since been replaced. In June, VENU named Regent Bank its naming-rights partner and renamed the venue. The venue's own site describes Regent Bank as serving eight markets across Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas, with $2.1 billion in assets. In September, the October opening became a December opening, starting in the smaller configuration.
| Milestone | What was said | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Events Park closes for major events | Closed starting May 27, 2024 | April 1, 2026 |
| First concerts expected | "Sometime in October 2026" | December 2025 |
| Events Park reopens | Reopened for events | April 1, 2026 |
| Renamed Regent Bank Amphitheater | Naming-rights partnership announced | June 2026 |
| Public opening | Dec. 4–5, 2026, about 5,000 seats | Sept. 23, 2026 |
| Full capacity | 12,500 seats, summer 2027 | Sept. 23, 2026 |
The City and VENU put the naming announcement a day apart, June 16 and June 17. Either way, it came before the opening date was set.
How an outdoor venue plays in December
The winter version is what makes a December opening possible. VENU describes the building as one that "programs year-round in two configurations." In July 2025, the City described a canopied roof and wind walls designed to block bad weather and keep winter use comfortable. None of the published material describes the building as fully enclosed, or explains how it physically switches between configurations.
Heat does the rest. VENU founder J.W. Roth described the setup to KJRH:
"We have hundreds of infrared heaters. Think of how those look. You've got all the fire pits. You've got on stage heating. You know, you're going to be about 30 degrees or so warmer than it is outside."
The fire pits belong to the venue's premium seating. According to the venue's premium experiences page, Luxe FireSuites are seating suites built around a fire pit, offered in 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-seat sizes. The Aikman Club, created with Troy Aikman, is a private club room with members-only entry, premium reserved seats and dedicated service. VENU says the venue has more than 230 Luxe FireSuites. In the 5,000-seat layout, those suites make up a larger share of the room than they will in summer.
The first five months, as announced so far
Opening night is A Magical Cirque Christmas, a touring holiday production from ICON LIVE. The cast includes Guinness World Record holder Leila Noone, magician Mark Clearview and fourth-generation circus performer Jonathan Rinny. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. KJRH reported on September 23 that tickets will run $25 to $60 depending on seat location. As of early October, the venue's site still listed both nights as "On Sale Soon."
More is coming before summer. Roth told KJRH there will "most likely" be 25 to 30 events between early December and the start of touring season, which he placed in April or May. One of those dates is already on the City's books. At its October 6 meeting, the City Council approved a one-time noise waiver for a New Year's Eve concert at the amphitheater, covering a countdown from 11 p.m. on December 31 to 1 a.m. on January 1, according to the City's council highlights.
Several details are still unpublished as of October 11:
- The performer and ticket details for the New Year's Eve concert
- Any other named acts for winter, spring or the summer 2027 season
- A parking map or general parking fee, which the venue says will be posted closer to opening
- Whether the pond, playground and shelters at Events Park stay open to the public on show nights
The roads were built for 12,500. December brings 5,000.
The road changes around Events Park will matter long after opening weekend, and the smaller winter crowds give them an easier test first. The City built them under its agreement with VENU, putting $30 million into public infrastructure while VENU put in "well over $100 million." In February, the City reported widening 38th Street and roughly half a mile of 101st Street, building a turnpike ramp, and adding a pedestrian bridge and trail connections.
Aaron McCollogh with the City of Broken Arrow explained the main change to KJRH in August. A new loop on-ramp, built with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, lets people leaving the amphitheater go straight from the park onto the northbound Creek Turnpike without driving a main arterial. "Now you're gonna have 3 different ways in and 4 ways out, whereas there was only one way out," he said. He also said the traffic concerns raised by nearby residents were fair: "Absolutely, rightfully so."
One piece is still missing. The north end of the new 43rd Street, east of Rosewood Elementary, will connect to Washington Street or 91st Street, with a traffic signal at Highway 51. In August, the City was still waiting on railroad approval and right-of-way for that last quarter mile. McCollogh said construction would likely start "later this year, early next year," with completion "likely done somewhere in the summertime." If that schedule holds, the last connector opens around the time the venue moves to full capacity. The winter season runs on the roads already in place.
The venue's visit page gives its address as 2745 S. 38th Street and confirms the direct connection to the northbound Creek Turnpike. As of mid-October, it has not posted rideshare or event-night traffic instructions.
Events Park was a park first, and it is one again
The amphitheater sits inside the 125-acre Events Park at 21101 E. 101st St., just east of the Northeastern State University Broken Arrow campus and the Creek Turnpike. The park was closed for major events from May 27, 2024 until the City reopened it on April 1, 2026, a span of about 22 months. At the reopening, City Manager Michael Spurgeon said the road, parking, lighting and landscaping work done for the amphitheater would also improve the park for the thousands of people who visit it every year for other events.
The park still has its fishing pond, picnic shelters, playground, open lawn, restrooms and the Challenger Sports Complex, along with the new walking paths and pedestrian bridge. The City also scheduled a Water Lantern Festival, a Fishing Derby and a Kites Festival there this year. Scotfest came back September 18 through 20 for what organizers said would be its final year after 46 years, as KJRH reported on its closing day. Picnic shelter reservations go through the City at 918-259-7000, extension 4002.
If you live near 101st and 38th, December is your first look at this new part of east Broken Arrow. You'll want to know which routes clear fastest on a show night and how the summer crowds might change things. Philip Shain follows Broken Arrow closely and is glad to talk through what the amphitheater means for your street. Let's Connect.
