Germain Amphitheater

The Germain Amphitheater (originally the Polaris Amphitheater) was a 20,000-seat outdoor entertainment venue located in Columbus, Ohio, near the suburb of Westerville. The venue opened as part of a large development venture off of Interstate Highway I-71. There were 6,700 seats in an open-air pavilion—much of it under cover—and room for another 13,300 people on general admission lawn seating. The concert season began mid-May, continuing through early October and featured 20-30 concerts per year. At the time it opened, it was the largest and most suitable venue for concerts in central Ohio.

About

The amphitheater opened on June 15, 1994, with a concert by The Moody Blues and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Since that time, it hosted some of the largest names in music, including: Aerosmith, Janet Jackson, Dave Matthews Band, Farm Aid, and Ozzfest. Toby Keith played the final show on September 16, 2007.

The venue was originally owned by Polaris Amphitheater Concerts, Inc.; a joint partnership between PromoWest Productions, Belkin Productions and Sunshine Promotions. In 1997, ownership was purchased by SFX Entertainment. In 2000, the building was owned by Clear Channel Entertainment, when the company bought out SFX Entertainment. In 2005, Clear Channel was spun off into Live Nation, who owned the building from 2005 until its closing. In February 2003, Germain Motor Company purchased a five-year sponsorship, renaming the venue Germain Amphitheater.