ITHINK Financial Amphitheatre
{{Short description|Music venue in West Palm Beach, Florida, US}}
{{Lowercase title}}
{{More citations needed|date= December 2013}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
| nickname =
| fullname = iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre at the South Florida Fairgrounds
| image = Image:Perfect_Vodka_Amphitheatre_Entrance.jpg
| image_caption = Entrance to the venue (c.2015)
| address = 601-7 Sansburys Way
West Palm Beach, FL 33411-3660
| location = South Florida Fairgrounds
| coordinates =
| type =
| genre =
| built =
| opened = {{Start date|1996|04|26}}
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = South Florida Fair & Palm Beach County Expositions, Inc.
| operator = Live Nation
| construction_cost = $10 million
{{small|(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|10000000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})}}
| former_names = {{small|Coral Sky Amphitheatre {{small|(1996–2000; 2002–03; 2015, 2017–2020)}}
Mars Music Amphitheatre {{small|(2000–02)}}
Sound Advice Amphitheatre {{small|(2003–08)}}
Cruzan Amphitheatre {{small|(2008–15)}}
Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre {{small|(2015–17)}}}}
| seating_type =
| website =
| seating_capacity = 20,000
}}
The iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre is a 20,000-seat open-air (Approx. 8,000 seats under cover and approx. 12,000 lawn seats) music venue in West Palm Beach, Florida. The facility, owned by the South Florida Fairgrounds, is a modern amphitheatre used primarily for concerts and other performances. The loading dock and backstage area is sometimes used for concerts that are general admission standing room only (mostly heavy metal concerts), while the amphitheatre stage is used as the backstage area in these situations.
History
The venue opened on April 26, 1996.{{cite news |last=Francalancia |first=Angie |date=April 27, 1996 |title=Sun Smiles for Opening Night at Coral Sky|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |publisher=Cox Enterprises|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85702366/the-palm-beach-post/|accessdate=September 20, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}} Since opening, the venue has gone through numerous name changes; it is the amphitheatre that has had the most name changes in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Partners |first=Our Culture Mag & |date=2022-03-14 |title=The Most Popular Outdoor Concert Venues in the USA |url=https://ourculturemag.com/2022/03/14/the-most-popular-outdoor-concert-venues-in-the-usa/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Our Culture |language=en-GB}} It was initially named Coral Sky Amphitheatre because the seats face into the west, often in view of a colorful sunset. The venue was renamed to Mars Music Amphitheatre on January 6, 2000, named after the music store chain Mars Music.{{cite news |last=Soivak |first=Irwin |date=January 7, 2000 |title=Coral Sky is Now the Mars Amphitheater|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85702526/the-palm-beach-post/|publisher=Cox Enterprises|page=5B|accessdate=September 20, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}} However, Mars Music filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002, and in August 2002 the venue reverted to its previous name.{{cite news |last=Passy |first=Charles |date=August 23, 2002 |title=Amphitheater Reverts to Previous Name: Coral Sky |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85702601/the-palm-beach-post/ |newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |publisher=Cox Enterprises |page=1D|accessdate=September 20, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}} It then changed again when Sound Advice became the new sponsor, and was renamed Sound Advice Amphitheatre on June 1, 2003.{{cite web |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-04-09/news/0304080785_1_clear-channel-concert-venues-tweeter-president |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221193357/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-04-09/news/0304080785_1_clear-channel-concert-venues-tweeter-president |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 21, 2015 |title=Coral Sky Venue Renamed Again |last1=Piccoli|first1=Sean |date=April 9, 2003 |website=Sun-Sentinel |publisher=Tribune Company |access-date=October 26, 2013}} In early 2008, the venue was renamed again following a new sponsorship agreement with Cruzan Rum, becoming the Cruzan Amphitheatre on February 1, 2008.{{cite web |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2008-02-02/news/0802010512_1_absolut-spirits-carnival-center-sound-advice |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029194941/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2008-02-02/news/0802010512_1_absolut-spirits-carnival-center-sound-advice |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |title=Sound Advice's new name is Cruzan |last1=Yee |first1=Ivette Y.|date=February 2, 2008 |website=Sun-Sentinel |publisher=Tribune Company |access-date=October 26, 2013}} On February 11, 2015, the venue reverted to its original name, the Coral Sky Amphitheatre, while owners looked for a new sponsor.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2015/02/cruzan_is_named_coral_sky_amphitheatre_once_again.php |title=Cruzan Is Changing Its Name Back to Coral Sky Amphitheater |last1=Tracy|first1=Liz |date=February 11, 2015 |website=Broward/Palm Beach New Times |publisher=New Times BPB, LLC |access-date=February 22, 2015}} In June, the venue succeeded in securing a new sponsorship with Perfect Vodka, and it was renamed to the Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Its name reverted again to Coral Sky Amphiteatre on August 4, 2017. On January 16, 2020, the name was changed to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, after a sponsorship deal with iTHINK Financial Credit Union.{{cite web |title=Coral Sky Amphitheatre in suburban West Palm Beach renamed |url=https://www.wptv.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/coral-sky-amphitheatre-renamed |work=WPTV |date=January 16, 2020 |first=T.A. |last=Walker|accessdate=September 20, 2021}}
Performances
Because of the Palm Beaches' climate, many major concert tours that would visit arenas in other cities usually stop at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, enabling it to be used as a year-round concert venue.
Other events include The Buzz Bake Sale, Curiosa, Lilith Fair, The Gigantour, Projekt Revolution, Christ Fellowship's Easter services, Ozzfest, Crüe Fest, Crüe Fest 2, The Mayhem Festival and The Vans Warped Tour, among others.
On November 2, 1996, Phish played the amphitheatre as part of their 1996 fall tour. They were joined by Karl Perazzo (of Santana fame) on percussion for the entire show. Portions of this performance were released to the syndicated radio program The Album Network. This show was released as the Coral Sky DVD in 2010 and is available as a download from LivePhish.
On June 15, 1998, the Spice Girls kicked off the US leg of the Spiceworld Tour; two weeks prior, Geri Halliwell had left the group.
On September 4, 2003 Tori Amos played her last concert of her Scarlet's Walk tour here. It was filmed and released on DVD one year later, in May 2004, called Welcome to Sunny Florida.
The venue was scheduled to host the final Ozzfest tour date of 2004, on September 4, but the show was cancelled due to Hurricane Frances.
On June 16, 2015 Lana Del Rey played her last concert of The Endless Summer Tour performing songs like Honeymoon and Florida Kilos for the first time.
May 20, 2017 the band Muse played there along with 30 Seconds to Mars and Pvris.
May 27, 2017 the band Train played at the amphitheater for their "Play that song" world tour, along with Natasha Bedingfield and O.A.R.
Since 1996 Dave Matthews Band has performed at the amphitheater more than 30 times, playing two-night stands at the venue nearly each year, beginning in 2002.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.livenation.com/venue/KovZpZAEkvEA Official LiveNation Page]
{{Music venues of Florida}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Amphitheaters in the United States
Category:Music venues in Florida
Category:Tourist attractions in Palm Beach County, Florida
Category:Buildings and structures in West Palm Beach, Florida
Category:1996 establishments in Florida
Category:Event venues established in 1996
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