Live Nation wants wanted to move In
A massive concert venue was being proposed for the heart of downtown Portland. The community said no thank you.
What was being proposed:
Mile Marker Investments partnered with adjudicated monopolist Ticketmaster/Live Nation, the largest concert promoter in the world, to try and build a 3,300-seat indoor music venue right across from our own municipally owned Merrill Auditorium.
If approved, this venue would have instantly become the largest music space of its kind in Portland. But the problem wasn’t just its size. It was Live Nation.
On April 27th, 2026, after nearly four hours of passionate public testimony, the Portland City Council voted 5-4 to approve a 750 ft. large venue buffer. This halts Live Nation’s proposed “Portland Music Hall” in its tracks. Were sure that this isnt the end of the story, but whatever comes next we are prepared.
This win was only possible because of the hundreds of people who showed up, gave public comment, emailed councilors, signed petitions, and spread the word. We thank Portland City Council for hearing our voices and acting on our concerns.
Where We Are Now:
The Fight Is Far From Over:
Whether its here, or in another community, Live Nation will be back. Our hope is to create a roadmap so other cities and states can have the tools they need to fight back. Its easy to think that these fights are not winnable, but they are. A community united is more powerful than any corporation.
What’s So Bad About Live Nation Anyways?
Live Nation is what’s known as vertically integrated. That means they don’t just promote shows—they own the venue, the ticketing platform (Ticketmaster), the artists' tour contracts, and even the food and merch. No other company has this much control over every step of the concert experience.
This gives them enormous power. When one company controls who gets booked, how tickets are sold, what venues are used, and how artists are paid—competition disappears, and so does consumer choice.
They Control Everything
Ticketmaster/LiveNation was found liable of violating antitrust laws and was deemed to be operating as an illegal monopoly. Its no longer just critics saying it, its a federal jury.
The DOJ even called Live Nation a “criminal enterprise.” This was the kind of case that only comes around once in a generation—on par with Big Tobacco or Facebook.
They are adjudicated monopolists.
They’ve Done This in City After City
Live Nation has followed the same pattern in cities around the world: build or take over a large venue, control the biggest tours, and freeze out independent venues that can’t compete with their size or budget.
In places like Denver, Atlanta, and Toronto, independent venues have closed or been forced to sell. Artists are often locked into exclusive contracts. Ticket prices go up—and the local music community suffers.