(This article originally was published in LVEDC's Q2 2025 Commercial Real Estate Report).
A vintage marquee marks the entrance. Inside, a large disco ball pierced by an arrow hangs over the trendy lobby bar. Beyond it, a two-story concert hall opens with clear sightlines to a stage designed for sharp acoustics and lighting, featuring rising acts booked by leading live entertainment company Live Nation®. 
For music lovers, Archer Music Hall delivers an attraction that the Lehigh Valley’s largest downtown had been missing: a modern, intimate concert venue that can draw more fans than can fit in a bar but far fewer than an arena.
For the Lehigh Valley, Archer’s debut in March became the latest milestone in Allentown’s revival and a symbol of how art, culture, and shared experiences are reinventing the Lehigh Valley and fueling its balanced, $56 billion economy.
“Our goal for Archer Music Hall was to create a venue that feels as welcoming to artists as it does to fans, while reflecting the spirit of Allentown,” said Molly Warren, Head of Programming for Clubs at Live Nation®. “The venue’s thoughtful design allows us to showcase a variety of talent, including local artists. Fans have really embraced the venue in its first year, and we’re proud that Archer is contributing to the Lehigh Valley’s growing entertainment scene.”
Live entertainment options are growing nationwide and have become an economic asset for regions seeking to attract the creative class, a key driver of the 21st century economy. In the Lehigh Valley, this movement is more pronounced.
Employment in the arts, spectator sports, and related industries grew from 932 jobs in 2001 to 2,214 today, according to an analysis by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC). That’s a 138% jump or about 2.5 times the national growth rate.
While the sector comprises just a sliver of the jobs in the Lehigh Valley, the notable increase underscores the importance of live entertainment to the region’s economic strategy and how it has reshaped the Lehigh Valley’s industrial corners into destinations buzzing with concerts, games, and festivals.
“Archer Music Hall is a world-class concert venue—unlike anything in the region—and it’s already playing a significant role in downtown Allentown’s vibrancy, economy, and prominence. Along with Archer, the new Moxy Hotel and Da Vinci Science Center are generating a lot of new foot traffic in Downtown West, which has created attractive opportunities for local and chain retailers to lease space in the district,” said J.B. Reilly, President of City Center Group, which built Archer.
In the last two decades, public-private partnerships have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Allentown venues like the PPL Center, which landed the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate Phantoms, and Coca-Cola Park, where the Philadelphia Phillies’ affiliate IronPigs draw more fans than any other team in all minor league baseball.
“Arts and entertainment, and sports and recreation, are the front door to economic development,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC. “They create a quality of life and place that attracts people and their talents, which attracts companies, and makes a place special. The growth of this sector during the last 20 years was key to the economic renaissance of the Lehigh Valley.”
In the shadows of dormant blast furnaces in Bethlehem, concert venues, cinemas, public plazas, and more now comprise the SteelStacks arts and entertainment campus, which draws hundreds of thousands of people each year. The campus spans east toward the Wind Creek Casino, home to another concert venue.
Other communities have debuted festivals to celebrate their heritage and engage new generations. Easton, home to the oldest continuously operating open air market, embraced its “foodie identity” with festivals like BaconFest, drawing nearly 75,000 people to a city of 30,000 in one weekend. “Martin on Main” highlights Nazareth’s rich musical tradition by honoring its iconic guitar maker, C. F. Martin & Co.
Those new events join longtime gems such as the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Easton and Miller Symphony Hall and the Civic Theatre in Allentown, the Great Allentown Fair, and Musikfest, which debuted in 1984.
Musikfest, which attracted 1.5 million people to Bethlehem over 10 days this year, has evolved into year-round programming by ArtsQuest, the nonprofit behind the festival. ArtsQuest is a major driver of redevelopment at SteelStacks and soon will debut two additional arts projects worth $48 million.
“The arts and entertainment sector has become one of the Lehigh Valley’s most powerful engines for economic growth and quality of life,” said ArtsQuest President & CEO Kassie Hilgert, also an LVEDC Board member. 
Creative communities draw the talent employers need, helping the Lehigh Valley consistently rank as a top mid-sized region for economic development. With a population now exceeding 708,000 and a 3.1% growth rate since 2020, the region stands out nationally for its surge of young adults—fueling demand for even more cultural attractions that make the Lehigh Valley an exceptional place to live and do business.
(Top photo courtesy of Alive Coverage for Live Nation®. Middle photo courtesy of Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Bottom photo by Donna Fisher Photography.)