Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre Information
About Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
The amphitheatre offers 4,600 seats, all of which are outside. Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre is designed in a fan shape layout, climbing steeply to the topmost concourse. In the ancient Greek theaters, you could hear a pin drop from there, and at CCCUOAT the sound quality is just as good.
Please note: this year CCCUOAT has changed to a cashless venue. You can transfer cash to a no-fee payment card at the kiosks provided.
This is an on-site campus facility where students are always around. Families are also welcomed, so anyone attending concerts here should be considerate and observe the university’s general code of conduct and CCCUOAT theater rules.
Please see our Rules page for more detailed information.
History
Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre was designed in the 1930s as a classic Greek Theatre. The project was managed by an American New Deal agency, the Federal Government Works Projects Administration. Construction began in 1939, and the theatre was completed two years later. SDSU’s Open Air Theatre first opened on Founder’s Day 1941.
For over 70 years, the venue was just called the Open Air Theatre, until a partnership with the California Coast Credit Union was formed in 2014. This gave the amphitheatre its new, much longer name. California Coast Credit Union is San Diego’s oldest financial institution, started by teachers in 1929. Its Financial Wellness program supports local projects in education, for schools, universities and educators.
Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre hosts a variety of campus and community events. These include student-based events like lectures, ceremonies and graduations, as well as dance presentations, comedy shows and concerts. Here you’ll see fresh talent like Ivan Cornejo or Billy Strings, plus iconic performers like Sting or Michael McDonald.
The amphitheater has hosted many big stars over the years, including Joan Baez, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Ringo Starr, Benny Goodman, The Cure, King Crimson, Echo & the Bunnymen and Bryan Adams. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech here, in 1964.
What Makes Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre Special?
Everything about Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre is special, from its classic design to the great bands and performers you’ll see there. It’s got easy access from San Diego via I-8, which connects with I-5, I-805 and I-15. You can take the train to the Amtrak station, with public transit connections direct to SDSU campus.
Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre is a built-for-purpose amphitheatre, which melds ancient acoustic techniques with modern technology. The result is a gem of a venue, with an intimate atmosphere in a buzzing academic environment. The sponsorship deal with the Credit Union allowed much modernization to take place to
seats, concourses and venue facilities.
Who owns Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre?
The Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre is owned by San Diego State University, and is operated by Associated Students.
San Diego State University
You only get half the story of the Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre if you don’t also talk about San Diego State University. SDSU is the home for the venue and was first established in 1897 as the San Diego Normal School.
It was designed as a place to educate local women as elementary school teachers. The university opened with seven faculty members and only 91 students with a curriculum limited to English, history, and mathematics. The university later became the San Diego State Teachers College and featured a four-year program controlled by the state Board of Education.
The university became well known and beloved for their teaching style and success and, in the 1930s, had outgrown its original campus. That’s why in 1931, the university moved to its current location on a mesa that was then the eastern edge of San Diego.
In 1935, the school expanded its educational programs to become the San Diego State College and later entered The California State Colleges System in 1960. It made its final transformation into SDSU in 1974.
Much like the university that surrounds it, CCCUAT is an important figure in history as well as the arts.
See below for more information on the CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre:
Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre Parking:
Find out more about parking at the Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre.
Ticket Policies:
Read about the ticket guarantee, refunds and strict ticket verification policies.
Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre Seating Chart:
View the CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre seating chart and read seating information.