Willie Nelson, who played in the first Austin City Limits show in 1974, has now bought into the upcoming new studio that will host the show when it's finished in 2010. Nelson, and his nephew, Freddy Fletcher, will be partners with majority owner Stratus Properties Inc., which is based in Austin.
While it's not official, it's being called Austin City Limits Studio Theater. The overall cost is estimated at $15 million, and will hold 2,000 people. This is in contrast to the tiny studio that currently houses the show located at The University of Texas at Austin campus.
The new studio will still be the platform 40 nights out of the year for the Austin City Limits show, and the rest of the year will be operated in a House of Blues-type club.
Beau Armstrong, chief executive of Stratus said that he is near to an agreement with a major concert promoter to operate the venue. Groundbreaking for the development is set for next summer.
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