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$150 million, 12,500-seat entertainment venue coming to Houston in 2027

Sunset Amphitheater Houston at Webster rendering

A rendering previews the Sunset Amphitheater.

Sunset Amphitheater Houston at Webster/Facebook

A massive new entertainment venue is coming to Houston in 2027. The Sunset Amphitheater will be an all-season venue with a 12,500 person capacity and a $150 million price tag.

Located near Great Wolf Lodge in the Flyway Entertainment District, the Sunset Amphitheater is a public-private partnership that unites entertainment venue company VENU with the City of Webster and the Webster Economic Development Corporation. The Colorado-based company operates the Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs, Colorado and has plans to open other Sunset Amphitheaters in McKinney, El Paso, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“This is an announcement we’ve been thrilled to make, and it represents a major step forward,” said J.W. Roth, founder, chairman, and CEO of VENU. “With Webster’s deep roots in innovation and exploration, Flyway is elevating the region’s entertainment scene to new heights.”

With a canopy roof, wind walls, and a state-of-the-art audio-visual system, Sunset Amphitheater is designed to operate year-round. It is predicted to generate more than $3.7 billion in economic impact and over 400 new jobs in its first 20 years, according to a study commissioned by the venue.

Among Sunset’s amenities will be the Aikman Club, named for NFL Hall-of-Famer and Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman. The members-only, 350-seat space will offer prime views of the stage and a luxurious experience. An additional 217 “Firesuites” will offer seating for groups of 4-10 people along with in-seat service.

“This announcement marks a defining moment for Webster and for Flyway,” Webster Mayor Donna Jasso said. “This amphitheater advances Webster’s super-regional draw and builds on strengths that continue to fuel Flyway’s momentum, further establishing the district as a premier entertainment hub for the Southeast Texas region. It brings long-term economic growth, new jobs, and increased visitor traffic that supports our businesses. We are proud to partner with VENU on a project that reflects the scale, ambition, and energy of our vision for Webster’s future.”

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Snacks for Days

Houston movie buffs can fill up on popcorn for $5 on 2 days at Cinemark

Photo courtesy of Cinemark

A large popcorn just won't do on National Popcorn Day at Cinemark - go for the full 400 ounces.

Cinemark is going all out for National Popcorn Day in 2026, offering moviegoers in Houston and around the country the chance to BYOBucket — to bring almost any kind of container to the theater and fill it up for just $5 (plus tax) on two days in January.

And they're not joking when they say "any kind of container" — with a 400-ounce "limit" (the equivalent of two XL popcorns) on the amount you can get with the deal, that means you can bring a cooler, bucket, or other type of large vessel to indulge in popcorn gluttony. Cinemark operates more than a dozen theaters across the Houston area, including Memorial City, Pearland, and The Woodlands.

If that's not enough popcorn, Texas-based Cinemark is teaming up with Lowe’s for the two-day event — yes, National Popcorn Day will take place on both January 18 and 19 — to allow anyone who brings a blue Lowe’s 5-gallon (aka 640 ounces) bucket to fill it completely up.

Food-grade bucket liners will be available upon request, and guests with the Lowe’s buckets will also receive a special coupon for future popcorn cravings valid February 1-26.

If someone forgets to bring their own bucket, Cinemark will still be offering all sizes of popcorn for the same $5 price on both days.

“Last year’s Bring Your Own Bucket event for National Popcorn Day reimagined what this holiday could be for all movie-popcorn lovers, as people showed incredible creativity with their vessels and made the celebration truly unforgettable for both guests and our theater teams,” said Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Cinemark chief marketing and content officer, in a statement. “This year, we are thrilled to build on that fun by teaming up with Lowe’s to make the experience even bigger and better.”

Popcorn fanatics can also participate in an online popcorn bucket fill-up game at Cinemark.com/popcornday for the chance to win free popcorn for a year.

On January 19 only, anyone who follows Cinemark’s official Instagram account (@Cinemark) and tags three friends in the comments of the National Popcorn Day sweepstakes post will be entered to win a free large popcorn.

Additionally, the Popcorn Day bonanza will include a chance for Cinemark Movie Rewards members to enter a sweepstakes to win 10,000 points; a discount of 10 percent for all online gift card orders on both January 18 and 19; and a special offering of Butter Chardonnay throughout the entire month of January.

Full details for all deals are available at Cinemark.com/popcornday.

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