An Incredibly Powerful Vision
Situated along the banks of the San Antonio River in the city’s heart, the historic Municipal Auditorium, with its original facade preserved, has been transformed into a world-class venue. This theatrical icon is once again the pride of the river and a shining beacon of creativity, fine art, and downtown development. There is no better place — anywhere — to see and hear a live performance.
The remarkable flexibility of the 1,738 seat H-E-B Performance Hall, with its distinctive “flat-floor” capability, opens the door for performances and events of almost any sort. The acoustics in the Hall can be “tuned” to fit the performance and physical set-up of the hall. The sound insulation throughout The Tobin Center enables simultaneous use of the Performance Hall, the Studio Theater, and the 600-seat River Walk Plaza.
Bexar County voters agreed overwhelmingly, approving $100 million in construction bonds in May 2008. The City of San Antonio followed by contributing the Municipal Auditorium and adjacent Fire Department Headquarters building – valued altogether at $41 million.
The Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation – formed to own and operate the new facility – committed to raising $54 million from the private sector. The Tobin Endowment made a $15 million challenge grant, and that challenge has been met, with well over $39 million in private funds already committed.
Audiences can see and hear performers and performances of every description at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
The facility is comprised of three venues:
- The H-E-B Performance Hall - A flexible 1,738 reserved seat or 2,100 general admission capacity performance space with hall acoustics adjustable for acoustic and amplified music presentations. The main floor is convertible from traditional theatrical seating to a flat floor, capable of seating 600 or more for a banquet or cabaret-style concert seating.
- The Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater- A 259-seat black box studio theater with numerous flexible seating arrangements (ranging from 259 to 300 – depending on the number of additional rows added in front of the stage).
- The Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza - An exterior venue along San Antonio’s famous River Walk. This space is utilized for concerts, cinema nights, fitness events, film festivals, and receptions.
Since our grand opening in 2014, we've been proud to present a vibrant tapestry of performances, ranging from electrifying live concerts to transformative theatrical experiences and everything in between.
Explore The Tobin Center presented performances and relive the unforgettable moments that have defined our stage.
