Power Plant Live!
Entertainment district in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Power Plant Live! is a 550,000-square-foot (51,000 m2) dining and entertainment district in the Inner Harbor section of Downtown Baltimore, Maryland. It includes a collection of restaurants, bars, retail, and a ≈1,600 seats music venue.[3] It was developed by The Cordish Companies and opened in phases during 2001, 2002, and 2003.
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Power Plant Live! at night, c. September 2013 | |
 Interactive map of Power Plant Live! | |
| Address | 34 Market Place |
|---|---|
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°17′22″N 76°36′26″W |
| Elevation | 25-30 ft above sea level |
| Owner | The Cordish Companies |
| Operator | Live! Hospitality & Entertainment |
| Capacity | ≈1,600 seats (approx. 1,000 in Baltimore Soundstage) |
| Type | Dining and entertainment district + Music venue[1] |
Current use | Dining and entertainment district + Music venue |
| Public transit | Shot Tower / Market Place |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | Early 2001 |
| Built | 2001 |
| Opened | July 4, 2001 |
| Tenants | |
| 13 (20+ at peak) | |
| Website | |
| www.powerplantlive.com | |
Building details | |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Floor area | 550,000-square-foot (51,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Developer | The Cordish Companies |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Valet parking from Thursdays – Saturdays, as well as various parking garages[2] |
The entertainment complex gets its name from the nearby "Power Plant" (Pratt Street Power Plant) building, three blocks south on municipal Pier 4 on East Pratt Street facing the Inner Harbor, which was also later redeveloped by Cordish. It is home to the Baltimore Soundstage, which has approximately 1,000 seat capacity.[4] It includes local restaurants, such as Underground Pizza, Luckie's Tavern, Mosaic Nightclub, and PBR Baltimore, and was the first "Live!" development by The Cordish Companies. It also includes adjacent music venues, being Nevermore Hall (formerly Rams Head Live! until December 2024) and Tin Roof Baltimore (closed in May 2024).
The complex is located along Market Place and is served by the Baltimore Metro SubwayLink's Shot Tower/Market Place station.
History
Background
Power Plant Live! was built on the former site of the Baltimore Centre Market and the Brokerage Mall,[5] and is adjacent to the Port Discovery Children's Museum (formerly the Baltimore Fish Market).
Pre-construction and development
After mayor William D. Schaefer had moved on in that year to become Governor of Maryland, a new redevelopment proposal by The Cordish Companies for the Baltimore Centre Market site was considered by expansion from the recent Power Plant amusement and retail complex on Pratt Street's old Pier IV and the Inner Harbor.
The redevelopment of the site surrounding the historic Pratt Street Power Plant into Power Plant Live! was initiated in the late 1990s by The Cordish Companies, aligning with broader urban renewal initiatives in Baltimore to revitalize the Inner Harbor area, which included Harborplace and The Gallery, both formerly operated by The Rouse Company, the Baltimore Convention Center, and the Pratt Street Power Plant itself. The project focused on transforming two vacant city blocks into a mixed-use entertainment district, building on the success of Cordish's earlier adaptive reuse of the adjacent Power Plant building in the early 1990s.
In partnership with the City of Baltimore, Cordish pursued multiple necessary entitlements, including a 99-year ground lease and a rare arena liquor license that allowed patrons to carry drinks throughout the complex, enabling an open-air, pedestrian-friendly design that was different from traditional malls.
The project was titled "Power Plant Live!". The "Power Plant" portion of the name had come from after the nearby Pratt Street Power Plant also redeveloped by Cordish, while the "Live!" portion refers to Cordish's idea of creating an entertainment district to further bring people back to the Inner Harbor, inspired by the 18 million visitors drawn by the early years of Harborplace.[6]
The Cordish Companies began construction of Power Plant Live! in early 2001, and the project costed approximately $35 million. Cordish focused on minimal disruption on surrounding areas, as well as testing market viability.[6]
Grand opening
Phase I of Power Plant Live! had its grand opening celebration on July 4, 2001. It wss equipped with an outdoor bar, large video screen, and nightly sound-and-light shows to draw crowds of tourists and visitors. It wss considered the focal point of the redevelopment, and was designed as a 30,000-square-foot brick plaza.[5] Subsequent phases from through 2002 and 2003 added additional bars, restaurants, and performance venues, culminating the Power Plant Live! plaza into the full 550,000-square-foot complex by late 2003 and establishing it as a complete "live, work, and play" environment, with nightlife. Following Power Plant Live!'s success, it served as a prototype for later "Live!" developments by Cordish, such as Fourth Street Live! in Louisville, Kentucky, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in the Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Maryland, Stateside Live! in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Waterside District redevelopment of the former Waterside Festival Marketplace, originally developed by The Rouse Company and the Enterprise Development Company (modeled after the Harborplace pavilions).[7][8]
Adjacent facilities
Nevermore Hall (formerly Rams Head Live!)
Rams Head Live! had its grand opening on December 15, 2004, attracting nearly 10 million visitors. It was 1,600-capacity concert hall, spanning 26,000 square feet across three viewing levels, and has hosted national touring acts, equipped with advanced sound and lighting systems for diverse genres. Rams Head Live! was developed via a collaboration involving The Cordish Companies and Rams Head Group, a restaurant and entertainment company based in Annapolis, Maryland. However, Rams Head Live! closed permanently in December 2024, with AEG LIVE informing Cordish that they were leaving the district. Following this, Cordish renovated the building in partnership with Live Nation Entertainment. The facility reopened in August 2025 under the new branding Nevermore Hall.[9]
Tin Roof (2014–2024)
Tin Roof at Power Plant Live! was a lively, casual venue, featuring live music, a BBQ-focused menu, and a fun, often crowded atmosphere with karaoke. It opened during Memorial Day weekend in 2014, replacing Kettle Hill, which shuttered in 2012. It was the Nashville-based chain's first location in Baltimore.[10]
However, Tin Roof itself ultimately closed its doors from May 4-5, 2024, because the owners chose not to renew their lease for unspecified reasons.[11]
Replacement
After over a year of being vacant, Geno's Steaks, a Philadelphia-based cheesesteak restaurant, announced in October 2025 that it would open in the former Tin Roof space. On February 4, 2026, the restaurant announced that it was scheduled to have its grand opening in early March.[12]
Geno's Steaks opened for business on March 5, 2026.[13]
Renovations and expansions
2011 renovation and expansion
Power Plant Live! underwent a $10 million renovation in 2011, adding a massive soaring outdoor roof covering the main plaza, permanent stage and outdoor LED screens, a multi-seasonal beer garden and a circular valet entrance.[3] New tenants included PBR Baltimore, and an expansion of the Luckie's Tavern sports bar on the second floor of the district. Reed Cordish, the vice president of The Cordish Companies, stated "It's building upon an existing strength and taking it to a new level."[14]
2015 update
In 2015, The Cordish Companies' incubator concept, Spark Coworking, opened in Power Plant Live! providing members with easy access to the district's dining and entertainment options. It was known as Spark Baltimore.[3]
