Construction begins on amphitheater at Upper Harbor

Upper Harbor 2

May 6, 2026

three people in hard hats and safety vests at a construction site, next to a rendering of the northside amphitheater

Left: Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, Mayor Jacob Frey, and Council Member Pearll Warren at the groundbreaking celebration for CPAC. Right: when it opens in 2027, the riverside amphitheaterwill seat 8,000 (rendering courtesy LSE Architects).


Upper Harbor amphitheater now under construction

Construction is finally underway on the long-awaited Community Performing Arts Center (CPAC) in North Minneapolis. City staff and elected officials gathered with project partners and community leaders on Monday, May 4, to celebrate the groundbreaking.

Read the City’s news release

The CPAC is part of the Upper Harbor redevelopment in the McKinley neighborhood. It is a 48-acre riverfront site being transformed by the City in collaboration with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and local developers.

The 8,000-seat CPAC amphitheater is expected to open in 2027. Port of Minneapolis LLC, a partnership between the Minnesota Orchestra and First Avenue, will operate the concert venue. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales will be reinvested directly into the local community through a partnership with the African American Community Development Corporation (AACDC).

To learn more about the CPAC, go to:


Construction update  

Upper Harbor Park 

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is finishing construction on the regional park at Upper Harbor. It's expected to open this summer.

Learn more about the Upper Harbor Regional Park

West River Road North 

The City of Minneapolis will complete the new segment of West River Road North on the Upper Harbor site. Construction will begin later this summer.

Learn more about street construction at Upper Harbor


For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact Hilary Holmes in Community Planning & Economic Development at hilary.holmes@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-5070  

People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000.

Para asistencia, llame al 311. Rau kev pab 311. Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 311.

www.minneapolismn.gov