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Atlantic Park construction on track for May venue opening, city says
Summary
City staff reported Atlantic Park—Virginia Beach’s largest public‑private partnership—remains on schedule for a May opening of the entertainment venue, with parking garages and some retail to open in May and a surf lagoon planned for July; residential and final site work are slated for completion by fall.
City staff told the Virginia Beach City Council on March 4 that Atlantic Park construction is advancing and that the entertainment venue is on track for an early-May opening.
Emily Archer, deputy director for economic development, described Atlantic Park as “the city's largest public private partnership to date” and said the project covers three blocks between 18th and 20th streets at the oceanfront. Archer listed project elements and near-term delivery targets: 300 multifamily rental units, about 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, 10,000 square feet of office, 20 surf-bungalow units, a roughly 3,500-seat indoor entertainment venue that can open to an outdoor amphitheater with up to 5,000 capacity, two parking garages totaling about 1,475 spaces, and a 2.7-acre surf lagoon.
Archer said the North Garage (accessed from 20th Street) is about 400 spaces and the Baltic Garage about 1,000 spaces; the Baltic Garage was reported as the larger of the two. She displayed construction photos and noted the parking garages show high budget percent-complete figures (the presentation listed one garage at 89% complete). Live Nation has announced 23 shows so far for the venue; Archer and staff said Live Nation expects to program many more events this season.
Archer outlined the delivery timeline the city presented to council: the entertainment venue and the parking garages are planned to open May 4 with Live Nation events; retail tenants will begin opening in May and continue through the summer; the surf lagoon is expected to open by July; and all mixed-use residential units and final off-site street improvements are expected to be delivered by fall. The city also said it will provide a temporary paved and lit parking lot of about 65 spaces by July on city-owned land as a short-term measure (the temporary lot is permitted under current provisions through 2027).
Council members praised the developer and contractor for accelerated work. During the discussion a council member and the mayor/liaisons noted the project budget figure of about $350 million and called the project a point of civic pride.
Ending: Staff said they are in near‑daily coordination with development partners to meet the May opening; council members and liaisons urged continued close oversight as the season approaches.
