BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Northeastern State University has partnered with Regent Bank Amphitheater in Broken Arrow, becoming the venue’s official university partner in a multi-year agreement designed to connect NSU students to real-world career opportunities in the live entertainment industry.
The partnership extends to all NSU students system-wide, across campuses in Tahlequah, Muskogee, and Broken Arrow, as well as online students, meaning students do not have to attend the Broken Arrow campus to benefit.
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Dan Mabery, Vice President for University Relations and External Affairs at Northeastern State University, said the range of opportunities available to students is broad.
“To be able to work either in front of or behind the scenes when it comes to planning shows, working with logistics, hospitality and tourism, accounting,” Mabery said.
When the amphitheater opens this fall, students will be able to pursue internships and practicums connected to their academic studies, as well as part-time jobs at the venue. Opportunities span the full scope of running a live entertainment facility, from working with music executives and artists to stage crews focused on sound, video, and audio.
Regent Bank Amphitheater executives will also come to NSU campuses to present case studies and participate in classroom instruction, using the venue as a learning laboratory.
Mabery said the partnership also includes up to $5,000 in scholarship funding and grants.
Venu, the amphitheater’s operator, will sponsor NSU’s Emerald scholarship fundraiser and provide grant funding that can also be used for products such as band equipment, music instruments, and art supplies.
Mabery called the learning opportunities available through the partnership “just off the charts.”
NSU President Rodney Hanley said the agreement reflects what is possible when higher education and the private sector work together.
“Regent Bank Amphitheater will create an extraordinary new venue for entertainment and culture in northeast Oklahoma, but this partnership allows NSU students to experience something even more valuable, opportunities to learn, build professional relationships and gain firsthand experience in a growing industry,” Hanley said.
J.W. Roth, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Venu, said the venue was designed to give back to the surrounding community.
“Regent Bank Amphitheater was built to be more than a stage. It’s meant to be a gathering place that gives back to the people and institutions that make Oklahoma the incredible state that it is,” Roth said. “Partnering with Northeastern State University lets us do that in a lasting way, opening doors for students across the state, not just the ones who live nearby.”
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The 12,500-seat amphitheater is projected to generate $4.3 billion in total economic impact for the greater Broken Arrow region in its first 20 years of operation.
Construction is in its final stages, with the roof, stage, exterior hospitality buildings, and artist compound all complete. Chloe Polhamus, with Venu, said no public announcement has been made yet on an opening date.
“Not just yet. Nothing public has been announced just yet for the opening, but we are itching to know that as well,” Polhamus said.
The academic programming tied to the partnership is targeted to begin in conjunction with the venue’s fall 2026 opening.
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