Texas Trust CU Theatre

Grand Prairie's concert hall, formerly the Verizon Theatre

The Texas Trust CU Theatre is the indoor concert hall next to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, about 16 miles west of Dallas and 24 miles east of Fort Worth. Its full official name is Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie; "CU" stands for Texas Trust Credit Union, which holds the naming rights. The city of Grand Prairie owns the building and AEG Presents runs it. It seats 6,350 for concerts, comedy, K-pop tours, family shows and the occasional Broadway tour. The best seats are the center of the lower level, sections 103–104 and 203–205; if you prefer to sit up, the front of the mezzanine, called King's Row, is the pick.

The room has had five names. It opened in 2002 as the NextStage Performance Theater, became Nokia Live in 2004, then the Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, its longest-running name, until July 27, 2018. It was simply The Theatre at Grand Prairie until April 27, 2021, when the Texas Trust deal took effect. Many fans still call it the Verizon Theatre; it is the same building.

How the 100, 200, 300 and 400 sections are laid out

The venue's official seating chart, on its Seating Chart page, shows a fan-shaped hall that widens as it moves back from the stage. The culture site CultureMap describes it as a two-level house: the lower level holds the 100, 200 and 300 sections, and the upper level, or mezzanine, holds the 400 sections.

• 100 sections (101–105): the rows closest to the stage, with 103 at center.
• 200 sections (201–207): the middle of the lower level, with 204 at center and 203 and 205 beside it. Wheelchair-accessible seats are in row QQ of sections 202–206.
• 300 sections (301–309): the back of the lower level, with 305 at center.
• Boxes and suites (3–16): a ring of boxes between the levels, with The Club on one side and a Super Suite on the other.
• King's Row (KRL, KRC, KRR): the front row of the mezzanine, with extra-high seat backs, according to the venue.
• 400 sections (401–413): the mezzanine, with 407 at center and 406 and 408 beside it.

The venue says its seats are 2 to 3 inches wider than typical arena and theater seats, padded and fitted with cup holders.

Best seats at Texas Trust CU Theatre and seats to avoid

For most concerts

• Closest: 102–104. For a reserved show, these are as close as the room gets; for a show with a general-admission floor, check the event map, since the front sections may be converted.
• Best balance: 203–205. You are far enough back to take in the full stage and the light show, and you sit square to the performers.
• Best upper seats: King's Row center (KRC), the front row of the mezzanine, with the venue's high-back seats.
• Value: 406–408 in the mezzanine. The hall holds only 6,350, so even the mezzanine is far closer than an arena upper deck.

For comedy and spoken-word shows

Sit center and lower: 103, 204 or 305. Faces and timing matter more than the production, and side seats lose eye contact with the performer.

Seats to avoid

• Extreme side sections (101, 105, 201, 207, 301, 309, 401 and 413), which angle sharply toward the stage.
• The last rows of the 400 sections if you want to read faces; they are the farthest seats from the stage.
• Seats sold as limited view on a given tour, usually where speakers or camera platforms sit.

Texas Trust CU Theatre capacity

The venue lists 6,350 indoor seats, the same figure the hall opened with in 2002. Other sources round differently: AEG's special-events site lists a maximum of 6,300 guests, and CultureMap's 2021 report on the renaming said more than 6,500. For a seated concert, 6,350 is the number to use.

That size puts the hall between Dallas–Fort Worth's clubs and its arenas, which is why it books acts that would look sparse at American Airlines Center but outgrow a ballroom, from K-pop tours to comedians to legacy rock bands.

Parking and getting to Grand Prairie

The hall is adjacent to Lone Star Park, half a mile north of I-30 on Belt Line Road. From the north, take SH-183 to Belt Line Road south; from the south, take I-30 to Belt Line Road north; then turn onto Lone Star Parkway. Older listings give the address as 1001 Performance Place; the venue now uses 1001 Texas Trust Way.

Parking is in the lots directly next to the building. As of 2026:

• Rates: the venue's pages list a general-lot fee of 25 to 30 dollars and a VIP/Suites lot at 50 dollars. Rates vary by event.
• Payment: credit or debit only; no cash.
• Timing: lots open two hours before the event and are first come, first served.
• Rules: no tailgating, grilling or alcohol in the lots, and no overnight parking.
• Drop-off: a designated drop-off area and disabled parking are directly in front of the building.

The venue's directions assume you arrive by car or rideshare. Check the venue's directions page before you go.

Bag policy and entry rules

As of 2026, Texas Trust CU Theatre allows only small bags. You may bring a single-compartment clutch or wallet up to 6 by 9 inches or a clear plastic or vinyl bag up to 12 by 12 by 6 inches. Medical bags and diaper bags for guests with infants are allowed. Backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, camera bags, binocular cases and large purses are prohibited.

• Screening: metal detectors, a visual inspection and a bag check at entry.
• Re-entry: the venue has a no re-entry policy; for an emergency, ask a Guest Services supervisor first.
• Cameras: no flash or professional photography; audio and video recorders are prohibited unless the artist allows them.
• Strollers: not allowed and not checked; leave them in the car.
• Smoking: only in the designated areas on the east and west sides of the building.

Read the venue FAQ for the current rules.

History: from Texas ShowPlace to Texas Trust

The hall was proposed in 1998, under the working name Texas ShowPlace, as a mid-size alternative to Dallas's Reunion Arena. NextStage Entertainment built it in Grand Prairie to boost the local economy and draw visitors; construction started in the summer of 1999, ran 14 months late, and cost about 63 million dollars. It opened in February 2002.

In May 2002 the venue hired Dallas artist Cabe Booth to paint oil portraits of visiting performers, who sign them; more than 300 now hang backstage and in the lobby near the suites. The hall hosted VH1 and NFL fan concerts around Super Bowl XLV, and Jimmy Fallon brought The Tonight Show here for a week of shows during Major League Baseball's 2024 All-Star festivities.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Texas Trust CU Theatre
• Texas Trust CU Theatre – Seating chart
• Texas Trust CU Theatre – FAQ
• Texas Trust CU Theatre – Directions
• Texas Trust CU Theatre – Venue info
• CultureMap Dallas – Name change to Texas Trust CU Theatre (April 2021)
• AEG Special Event Venues – Texas Trust CU Theatre