A new 10,000-seat amphitheatre officially opened on Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds on Friday with with an inaugural concert featuring iconic Canadian performers Jann Arden and Colin James.

The venue has been branded as the Freedom Mobile Arch.

The $183-million venue, built with B.C. wood products, is the first new building constructed at the PNE since the Pacific Coliseum opened in 1968. The amphitheatre will also serve as the site of Vancouver’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Festival, which begins Thursday.

“There have been many, many significant moments in our history, but today really signals the start of a new era for the PNE and for how we’re going to continue to touch the hearts of British Columbians moving forward,” said PNE President and CEO Shelley Frost.

“This magnificent structure with its incredible roof, it is destined to become an icon for music, arts, culture, for the region and for all of British Columbia as we bring in guests from around the world.”

The project’s cost rose to $183 million, nearly triple its original estimate of $64.8 million. Frost attributed the increase to geotechnical assessments completed after the initial budget was tabulated and unexepcted construction challenges, including the discovery of significantly more underground water than anticipated.

The new venue arrives as the PNE seeks to boost attendance at its annual summer fair, which has experienced declining visitor numbers over the past two decades, according to CBC. Attendance totalled just over 612,000 in 2025, down 4% from 2024 and the lowest level recorded this century outside the pandemic years.

The City of Vancouver owns the PNE grounds.

Pictured: New PNE amphitheatre branded as the Freedom Mobile Arch.

Image: City of Vancouver