The opening of Fontana’s Sammy Hagar-associated concert hall has been set for this summer with the former Van Halen frontman playing the first show.
Stage Red — a Sammy Hagar Venue will replace the former Center Stage Theater, which closed in August 2022.
Hagar, also known as the Red Rocker, grew up in Fontana. The musician and songwriter was inducted to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen in 2007.
Originally, the city planned to open the renovated theater in time for Memorial Day 2023. Opening day was pushed back to March 2024 but budget issues again delayed the theater’s debut. Opening day it is now set for June 15.
The original timeline for the project was optimistic, according to Phil Burum, Fontana’s deputy city manager.
Construction was slated to start in October, which Burum said would have allowed the city to meet the March opening date. The lowest bid for the project, however, was $2.6 million — $1 million over the anticipated budget.
The City Council updated the budget, Burum said, and the city restarted the bidding process early this year.
The theater has a high rock ‘n’ roll club feeling, Burum said. The outside of the building has neutral shades of gray and white and at night pops with the use of red neon lights and signs.
Work on the exterior of the theater is nearly complete and crews are now focusing on the interior, Burum said. The Stage Red theme will be prevalent throughout the venue and Burum said the city is looking to add Hagar’s gold records and a couple of guitars.
“It’s just changing the whole sound and lighting system to a modern system,” said Burum. “And changing the interior design aesthetic and making it more Sammy-centric.”
The theater serves as a cornerstone for city leaders’ plans to create a regional draw in downtown Fontana.
“Stage Red is more than just a venue; it’s part of Fontana’s cultural resurgence,” Mayor Acquanetta Warren said in an email Wednesday, April 3. “With its rich history and vibrant future, Stage Red will bring world-class entertainment to our doorstep and will also enhance our economic growth.”
Historically, the theater has generated roughly $200,000 a year in ticket sales, Burum said. Once Stage Red opens, the city expects the venue to reach $2 million to $3 million in annual ticket sales. The sales tax generated will be a boon for Fontana’s coffers, according to Burum.
The theater will have three different ticket options for performances three to five nights a week, Burum said. Three ticket options are in the works.
Ideally, the theater will offer a general admission ticket for standing room by the stage for fans who want to be close to the action, a slightly elevated option with seating and cocktail service, and a VIP option which will put guests in balcony seats over the stage, Burum said.
Plans for a VIP meet-and-greet room are also part of the theater’s future, he said, allowing guests to meet with the artists in a lounge-like area for a fee.
“So it’s a little bit of a different type of a meet-and-greet experience and some artists like Sammy love that interaction,” Burum said.
Hagar, who is from Fontana, has partnered with the city to bring the theater to life.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Burum said. “It’s just gonna kind of be his own little personal Hard Rock Cafe.”
Burum anticipates shows to roll out slowly over the first couple months and pick up with time. The city has contracted ASM Global, a venue and event management company, to head the day-to-day operations of the theater.
The group manages programming for the Toyota Arena in Ontario, the Los Angeles Convention Center and the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, among other spaces throughout Southern California.
“That contract just started about a month ago,” Burum said. “With the grand opening scheduled, they’re now starting to line up acts.”
Hagar is expected to be the first performance on opening day.
