Personal lawn chairs banned

Free water stations installed among improvements

VIRGINIA BEACH — If you’re heading to a concert at the amphitheater this summer, leave your lawn chairs at home and bring an empty water bottle.

Changes this year at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater include the addition of free water filling stations and a ban on personal lawn chairs.

Chairs will be available for rent inside the venue for $10 and can be reserved in advance.

“We’re constantly trying to improve our efficiency and offer our fans a better experience,” said Tabatha Webster, general manager of Live Nation, which runs the outdoor concert venue. “We’re not allowing outside lawn chairs this year just to make it more efficient as they’re coming through the security screening process.”

Webster unveiled a number of amphitheater improvements at Tuesday’s Development Authority meeting, including replacing 16 outdated water fountains with water bottle filling stations.

The authority owns the amphitheater, and Live Nation leases the venue. It was built in 1996 and features covered seating in a pavilion area as well as an open lawn.

Guests can expect a cooler experience than in years’ past.

“If you’ve sat inside, you’ll be super excited that we’re adding fans inside the pavilion,” Webster said. “That’s really going to help with the air flow.”

Also, two new premium entertainment spaces with upgraded food and beverage offerings — Rock Box and Bamboo Suite — are under construction.

In March last year, an accidental fire damaged the production area, leaving Live Nation only two months to make repairs before the concert season kicked off.

This year’s lineup is already stacked and growing. The amphitheater has announced 25 shows so far and more are coming, Webster said. Hozier will kick off the first concert May 15; the show’s sold out. Morgan Wallen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, New Kids on the Block, Creed and Dave Matthews Band are among some of the other performers on the schedule.