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Trueline Greenville breaks ground for 1,700-person capacity music venue, opening in 2025

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Trueline Greenville breaks ground for 1,700-person capacity music venue, opening in 2025

An official groundbreaking event took place on Thursday, April 25, announcing a partnership between the upcoming Trueline Greenville entertainment venue and Clayton Construction Company of Spartanburg, which anticipates an opening and full development completion by the first quarter of 2025.

Trueline Greenville, a proposed 1,700-person capacity music and event amphitheater at 401 E. Rhett St., plans to draw pop, hip-hop, and country artists to town while also being a local artist incubator in a 30,000-square-foot space at the former location of D&B Glass. Trueline plans to curate a space that attracts large-level artists such as Lil Wayne, The Struts, and Brett Young to appear in Greenville.

On Thursday morning, with the support of Mayor Knox White, blues musician Mac Arnold, and various other city leaders in attendance, Trueline’s announcement marked the beginning of household-named artists, live music, and entertainment heading to the West End of Greenville’s downtown.

“We’re excited in how quickly things are developing and our timeline seems to be holding true,” said Michael Grozier, CEO of Trueline Brands to The Greenville News. “I want really to thank the people who have invested in this project already. This experience has been a journey.”

Grozier, a co-founder of House of Blues, has opened nearly 25 music venues and managed over 100 music and entertainment venues in the Southeast, including The Tabernacle, The Coca-Cola Roxy, and Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, as well as The Fillmore and The Underground in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“To see all of the acts that they’re going to bring, the diversity of music and entertainment… that will allow us to reach new audiences and visitors to enjoy this,” said Heath Dillard of VisitGreenvilleSC, a non-profit marketing organization for the city and county.

“Thank you for thinking of Greenville as this type of venue; we’re excited to be partners in doing this,” Dillard added.

What’s Coming to the West End, 2025: How new Trueline entertainment venue will complement growing music scene in Greenville

How much money are Greenville investors contributing to Trueline Greenville?

As of mid-December 2023, Trueline had gathered nearly half of their $10 million in equity financing needed, as 60% of that funding had come directly from Greenville area investors and the other portion from investors across 13 other states, according to Sam Blumin, chief of staff at Trueline.

At that time, local Greenville investors had contributed an estimated $2.5 million to the project.

According to Grozier, as of April 2024, Trueline had locally sourced $5 million in around 90 days, making their previous goal of $8 million by the end of January 2024 a success. There are currently 120 total investors in the project, 80 of which are from the Upstate area, he confirmed.

“The importance of (local funding) is that this is a regional operation,” Grozier said. “The fact that the vicinity and the people of the Upstate rallied behind us and really wanted to see this club happen is so appreciative.”

Development on Hold: Wyche Pavilion structural, site changes deferred by Greenville city Design Review Board

What will be inside of Greenville’s Trueline?

The upcoming venue will comprise four entertainment spaces and will double as a place for visitors to eat and hang out when concerts and shows aren’t on stage. The four spaces are known as The Concert Hall, The Handlebar (John Jeter), The Clubhouse, and The Green Room—all will have separate functionality and style.

A few details about the 2025 Trueline entertainment venue project include:

  • A 1,700-capacity main room known as The Concert Hall includes 129 balcony seats.
  • A 400-capacity small room called The Handlebar will serve as an ode to John Jeter, “The Godfather of Greenville’s music scene.”
  • A 150-capacity VIP room known as The Greenroom.
  • A 250-capacity outdoor music space known as The Clubhouse, pending city of Greenville approval.
  • Four standing-room platforms in The Concert Hall allow easy sightlines to the stage.
  • Over 40 points of sale for food and beverages will be throughout the venue, including indoor/outdoor patio space, an upscale cocktail lounge with coffee and muffins in the daytime, and pizzas and other handhelds by night.
  • Technology wristbands that allow for easy payment, tailored welcoming messages and exclusive invites.

Owner Mike Grozier estimates Trueline to sell 180,000 total tickets within the first year, and by 2030, that total to increase to 230,000 tickets sold. “If we do what we’re supposed to do, this market will become very attractive in the live music scene,” he said.

For more information visit truelinegvl.com.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription. 

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