A glimpse of the new 10,000-capacity PNE amphitheatre, weeks before completion | Daily Hive

A glimpse of the new 10,000-capacity PNE amphitheatre, just weeks before completion

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Ken Sim)

In just seven weeks from now, Vancouver’s newest visual landmark and major entertainment venue will reach full completion and officially open for its first events.

Construction is now in the very final stages for the Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre at Hastings Park — just in time for its centrepiece use for live match screenings and concerts for Vancouver’s official 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Festival, held at the PNE fairgrounds.

But one week before the FIFA World Cup kicks off, Freedom Mobile Arch will host a grand opening night celebration event on Friday, June 5, 2026, featuring numerous singers, artists, and performers, including legendary Canadian singer Jann Arden. Tickets for this very first event at the new covered outdoor amphitheatre will go on sale soon.

You might also like:

Some of Vancouver’s municipal elected officials — mayor Ken Sim and city councillor Mike Klassen, who is the chair of the PNE’s board of directors — were provided with a tour earlier this month of the construction progress.

“Hastings Park and the PNE have been the site of countless iconic moments in the history of our City and province,” said Sim.

“We are excited to see the Freedom Mobile Arch carry forward that legacy as a truly world-class entertainment venue.”

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Mike Klassen)

Freedom Mobile Arch can hold up to 10,000 spectators, including 6,000 seats under the roof and another 4,000 in a flexible open lawn area in the rear, known as the “BCLC Backyard” under a sponsorship agreement with B.C. Lottery Corporation. There are also a number of VIP box seats and suites.

It is now among the largest-capacity venues in Metro Vancouver and the second largest at Hastings Park — behind the 17,000-seat Pacific Coliseum and well ahead of the 3,200-seat Agrodome. It is also the first major permanent venue built at Hastings Park since the Pacific Coliseum was completed in 1968. The Coliseum was constructed to attract an NHL franchise and ultimately became the home of the Vancouver Canucks for a quarter century.

This modern amphitheatre venue, built at a cost of $184 million, features permanent back-of-house and front-of-house features, as opposed to the very significant temporary setups that would be required for the previously demolished 1960s-built dilapidated open-air amphitheatre — originally intended to be temporary — on the same footprint. It is designed by Revery Architecture and built by EllisDon.

Photos shared by both officials show the finished scale of the landmark mass-timber roof — the largest of its kind in North America — as well as the large permanent-built in stage, which is attached to a three-storey, back-of-house building with green rooms and washrooms for performers, a crew kitchen, production storage, and additional support areas.

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Mike Klassen)

There are 60 mass-timber arches arranged in six barrel vaulted segments, reaching a height of up to 82 ft. (25 metres) and spanning 344 ft. (105 metres) between buttress tips. The structure is impossible to miss in the Hastings Park skyline.

Moreover, the stage is set against the North Shore mountains, which lend a gentle and recognizable natural backdrop to the venue’s overall setting.

Significant work was also well underway with installing the 6,000 seats on the floor beneath the roof. Interior fit-out work has also begun for the VIP boxes and suites.

The facility also includes permanent built-in washrooms and concession facilities, unlike the previous amphitheatre’s use of trailers and portables.

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Mike Klassen)

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Ken Sim)

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Mike Klassen)

April 2026 construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Ken Sim)

Altogether, this venue’s features will enable the PNE to attract many more concerts and events throughout a wider period of the year, and pursue higher-calibre international acts, which is already evident with the lineup of musicians and singers announced for the PNE Fair in late Summer 2026.

This will also provide the PNE with a new major revenue source to support its programming and the continued revitalization work of Hastings Park, with planning for the new amphitheatre beginning long before Vancouver began pursuing the FIFA World Cup.

Due to FIFA sponsorship regulations, the venue will not be called “Freedom Mobile Arch” during its use for the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival.

freedom mobile arch new pne amphitheatre

Concept of Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Revery Architecture/PNE)

Concept of Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Revery Architecture/PNE)

pne amphitheatre new design revery architecture

Concept of Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre. (Revery Architecture/PNE)

You might also like: