McKinney’s New Sunset Amphitheater Is Unlike Anything Else in DFW

McKinney’s Sunset Amphitheater is a concert venue built for big nights and Texas weather.

Sunset Amphitheater sits on about 46 acres at U.S. 75 and State Highway 121, next to the Sheraton, and is designed to flex with the season. In warm weather it opens up to 20,000. When it cools off, the space can scale down to about 5,000 under a canopy with weather protection and climate control, so shows are not limited to spring and fall.

There is a seat for almost every kind of night out. Traditional reserved seating covers the main bowl. A landscaped lawn berm is the easy, open-air option. For something more social, fire-pit suites hold groups of about four to 10, with tickets, parking, and in-suite service built in. Owner’s Club suites and the members-only Aikman Club add a quieter lounge layer, with club access and dining away from the general crowd.

Before you get too excited about those firepit seats however, there are some important details to consider. The fire-pit suites at Sunset Amphitheater are sold as a one-time ownership purchase, not as a per-show ticket. VENU’s McKinney pricing lists four sizes:

• 4-person: $480,000
• 6-person: $720,000
• 8-person: $960,000
• 10-person: $1,200,000

That price covers use of the suite and tickets to all live music events for the number of seats in the suite. The Dallas Morning News reported the same range, $480,000 to $1.2 million, in August 2026, and VENU has said the suites are 90% sold out.

VENU also offers a financed option, generally a 25% down payment with the balance over 20 years. An older VENU page listed lower figures; the McKinney-specific page and recent reporting use the prices above.

The production side is aimed at more than a standard outdoor show. Plans include immersive sound and lighting, plus food and drinks through a partnership with Aramark. Parking is set at more than 5,000 spaces, including a garage, so the drive in should be simpler than a typical festival lot.

VENU expects the amphitheater to host dozens of concerts and comedy dates a year, with room to grow toward a fuller calendar once the flexible setup is in use. It is built to feel like a destination night out: a lawn for some, a fire pit for others, and a covered, climate-ready stage when the weather will not cooperate.