Live Nation Entertainment is investing £9.5 million (approx. USD $12.7 million) in the Brighton Hippodrome, which has been vacant since 2006.
Its Academy Music Group (AMG) subsidiary has signed an agreement to operate the Grade II*-listed venue on Middle Street.
The investment forms part of a wider redevelopment representing a total of £25 million (approx. $33.5 million) to restore and modernize the building.
The agreement was announced on Monday (June 15).
The Hippodrome is expected to reopen as a performance venue in 2027, according to reports, which put its capacity at around 2,300.
Brighton-based family firm Matsim Properties purchased the building in 2020 and has since carried out restoration work, including a new roof to protect the venue’s circular auditorium and ceiling.
The funding will deliver upgrades to infrastructure and facilities, “ensuring the Hippodrome can host more incredible performances while preserving its historic character,” according to the announcement.
Blueprint Studio, Live Nation‘s in-house global design and development group, is leading the interior fit-out, alongside architect Burrell Foley Fischer, venue designer Charcoalblue and developer and property owner Matsim.
“We are delighted to have contracted AMG as the operator, who lead the way in performance venues across the country,” said Simon Lambor of Matsim.
“This wonderful building was in a perilous state when we bought it, and we are proud to have saved it from loss. After five years of tackling extensive damage caused by dry rot and water penetration, we are thrilled to see the Hippodrome ready for its next chapter.”
“This wonderful building was in a perilous state when we bought it, and we are proud to have saved it from loss.”
Simon Lambor, Matsim Properties
Steve Hoyland, COO of AMG, added: “To open a venue in Brighton is an absolute privilege, and to see this historically important building alive with performance again will be an honour,” said
“Brighton is a new territory for AMG, and the city is truly special – thriving on creativity, arts and culture.
“Investing in British live entertainment and cultural institutions is vital for the future of our industry. The Brighton Hippodrome is an extraordinary venue with a rich history, and we’re proud to play a part in restoring it for generations to come.”
“Investing in British live entertainment and cultural institutions is vital for the future of our industry.”
Steve Hoyland, Academy Music Group
The Brighton deal lands as Live Nation expands its owned-and-operated venue network on both sides of the Atlantic.
In June 2025, the company unveiled a $1 billion plan to build or refurbish 18 venues across the United States, where it owns around 150 venues.
In December, Live Nation agreed to acquire Copenhagen’s 17,000-capacity Royal Arena, which it has operated since 2017.
The company is also developing arenas in Cardiff and Munich, with nearly 50 venues in its international pipeline through 2031.
The Hippodrome investment also arrives during a period of growth for UK live music.
Consumer spend on live music in the country rose 9.5% to £6.68 billion in 2024, according to industry group LIVE.
Concert revenue alone climbed 12.2% to £5 billion, the report said.
That growth has been concentrated at the larger end of the market, while the UK‘s grassroots venues remain under pressure.
Live Nation has been the majority owner of AMG since 2007, when it acquired the venue operator alongside Irish promoter Gaiety Investments.
AMG operates the O2 Academy network of music venues across the UK, including O2 Academy Brixton in London and venues in cities such as Bristol, Leeds and Bournemouth.
The operator had previously leased, and later owned, the Hippodrome in the 2000s and 2010s, but its plans to redevelop the building stalled, and AMG sold the freehold in 2017.”
Opened in 1901, the Brighton Hippodrome was converted from a skating rink by theater architect Frank Matcham and later became a Variety Theater.
Its past performers include Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Sammy Davis Jr.Music Business Worldwide
