Live Nation Acquires The Paramount in Long Island

Entertainment giant Live Nation has acquired The Paramount, the 1,555-capacity venue in downtown Huntington, New York.

The Long Island two-story venue, known for its nightclub vibe, has hosted iconic acts like Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Johnny Depp, Pitbull, UB40, and more since its opening in 2011. Its founders — Brian Doyle, Dominick Catoggio, Jim Condron, and Stephen Ubertini — transformed the venue from the former nonprofit theater, the Inter-Media Arts Center.

The Long Island Arts Alliance found that the venue helped contribute to the arts and entertainment scene in both Huntington and Long Island; a study by the alliance in 2023 found that the arts contributed $330 million to the local economy.

Through the acquisition, The Paramount’s team members will stay employed through Live Nation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Paramount’s partners noted in a statement to The Long Islander that they are “thrilled that The Paramount will continue its great legacy with Live Nation now overseeing the venue.”

“Having been our booking partner for 13 years, Live Nation became the natural company to hand the torch to and bring the venue into its future,” the partners said.

News of the Huntington venue acquisition follow Live Nation’s announcement of a new, seasonal, open-air concert venue — heading to Toronto, Ontario in 2025. The venue, dubbed Rogers Stadium, was met with criticism from locals.

Every time Live Nation announces a new venue, concertgoers are quick to share their dismay, citing the entertainment giant’s monopolistic practices. Portland, Oregon — one of the last larger cities in the U.S. that doesn’t have a venue owned by Live Nation — saw complaints from music fans across the city that the conglomerate would ruin Portland’s vibrant indie music scene. Fans also lashed out at the National Capital Commission after announcing it signed an offer to lease an agreement with Live Nation Canada to operate a new live music venue in downtown Ottawa.

A similar situation ensued when Live Nation quietly bought Brooklyn’s Bell House and after news broke that Live Nation would be involved in the return of Vans Warped Tour next year.

The entertainment giant is the subject of an antitrust lawsuit alongside its ticketing subsidiary by the Department of Justice and 39 states, as well as the District of Columbia. The suit aims to break-up the pair, citing anti-competitive practices.