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[VENUES]
Industrial Evolution New 3,000-capacity venue the Factory set to open in July in Chesterfield Written by
DANIEL HILL
L
ive music is coming to Chesterfield in a big way this summer with the opening of a 3,000-capacity space dubbed the Factory. The gleaming new venue is situated just off I-64 at the Boone Crossing exit, and the team behind it has just this week announced its grand opening, with a July 16 performance by Canadian EDM producer and DJ Deadmau5. It’s just one part of an eclectic roster of shows currently on the books that also includes performances by rapper Jelly Roll, pop-punk acts Simple Plan and New Found Glory, comedian Nikki Glaser and bluesman Buddy Guy. The 52,000-square-foot, newly built building that houses the venue is seeing the finishing touches to its construction now. It’s one piece of an ambitious development project called the District that will replace the Chesterfield Outlets. “The District is being completely renovated to be an entertainment and food and beverage destination,” explains Brian Carp, chief operating officer of the Factory. “So all the retail’s going away. Gap closed yesterday, Polo’s going away, Banana’s going away, all those retail ancillaries are going to stop. The Polo building will come down; there’ll be a gathering area in the middle flanked by four restaurants with outdoor patios. It will really kind of be an open-door welcome area in the center of the District. And then everything between Topgolf, Residence Inn and us will be all of these different types of entertainment features.” Those entertainment options
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The view from the stage at the Factory. | DANIEL HILL will include pickleball courts, escape rooms, volleyball courts and mini golf, among others, Carp says. The Factory will serve as the anchor for the west side of the development, with a location of the Texas-based family fun center Main Event holding down the east side. “We really envision this as you park once, and there’s things for everyone in the family to do,” Carp says. “Everybody joins back up for dinner, and then, you know, some people could come over here and see a show or do the types of things or go to Topgolf or whatever it may be. So really, the first destination like this anywhere in the country. Places have a music venue, places have Topgolf, places have Main Event, but there isn’t anywhere in the United States that has them all in the same location.” The ambitious project is being spearheaded by the Staenberg Group, the developer behind Chesterfield Valley Square, Chesterfield Sportscomplex, Chesterfield Commons and Chesterfield Mall. And though the Factory is just one piece of the larger whole, there’s been no skimping on the details, with Staenberg Group President Michael Staenberg putting the cost of its construction
JUNE 9-15, 2021
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The industrial theme gives it an air of timelessness, even though it’s new construction. | DANIEL HILL north of $25 million. Carp was tapped to helm the Factory due to his decades of experience in the business at venues across the country. He’d previously held management positions at music halls across the U.S., including the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado, and the House of Blues locations in both Anaheim and Dallas. He acknowledges that heading to Chesterfield for a concert might be something of a tough
sell for some city-dwelling folks, but his experience in the industry tells him that can be overcome if the booking is solid enough. “When I worked for Live Nation, we did a study when we relocated the House of Blues in Anaheim, that people will drive up to 50 miles for a show without really considering the distance,” Carp explains. “So what we see is all the way from the east side from Belleville and Alton and all those
