The Bongiorno family — best known for Potato Barn — is expanding its footprint with a new entertainment venue, The Nox.
Set near Ray and Sossaman roads in Southeast Mesa, the project is the Bongiornos’ next step in giving back to the area that’s supported them for decades. Behind The Nox are Greg Bongiorno, the Bongiorno patriarch/Potato Barn founder, and his two sons, Mike and Keaton Bongiorno.
The 18-month construction project’s groundbreaking is expected in the fall, with a Q1 2028 opening. The venue marks the first “out-of-the-ground” concert hall in “many, many years,” according to David Hrizak, the CEO of the developer, The Streamline Companies in Mesa. The Bongiornos were not available for comment.
“We’ve been working behind the scenes for over four years, developing the right site plan, the right interior and the right types of finishes that will make this one of the top 10 venues of its size in the country.”
The general contractor is Milwaukee-based CG Schmidt. Mesa-based Adaptive Architects and the civil engineer and landscape architect EPS Group are also working on the project. Hrizak said private dollars are being used on the venue, marking a “significant investment” on the Bongiorno family’s part.
“We have asked for any type of concessions from the city or the state,” he said.
The family will not partner with major U.S. promoters. “We will remain independent and bring a real music scene to Arizona,” Hrizak said.
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Performance theater
Nox is the Roman counterpart to Nyx — the ancient Greek embodiment of primordial Night — who serves as the venue’s guiding spirit.
At The Nox, the experience extends beyond the stage. Guests will enjoy a thoughtfully curated food and beverage program designed to complement every event.
Each level will feature three full-service bars offering a selection of beer, wine and elevated craft cocktails. With a dedicated kitchen on every floor, guests can also choose from flexible, chef-inspired food options created for convenience, quality and flavor.
Whether enjoying a cocktail before the show, sharing a bite between performances, or keeping the evening going after the final encore, The Nox offers a vibrant hospitality experience that makes every visit feel special.
The two-level theater will accommodate up to 2,000 people for concerts featuring artists across all genres. The first floor will offer multiple seating options — auditorium- or cabaret-style seating, or roundtables for corporate, educational or afternoon events, for example.
The VIP section is the second level, with fixed seating and food-and-beverage service.
“It will come directly to you,” he said. “You never have to get up and leave your seat if you don’t want to.”
Hrizak sees the standing-room-only Van Buren as the closest competition. However, the building was retrofitted “the best they could,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful building, right?” he said about The Van Buren, which was built in 1929 for the Phoenix Motor Co.
“They retrofitted the best they could. This is going to be the first new concert hall development in Arizona to be built from the ground up in many, many years. Over those four years of design, we have changed reiterations a number of times to get the right seating capacity, the right sound and the right atmosphere within the venue itself.”
Nearby, the Potato Barn is building a 50,000-square-foot warehouse that will serve as an ancillary arm of the company. The Nox will be immediately west of The Potato Barn, up against the Loop 202.
“We’re going to have great visibility and great signage from the highway,” he said. “The Potato Barn is building this 50,000-square-foot facility first because it’s going to serve as a parking lot for The Nox as well when it opens.
“We wanted to get the easier project done and open. … We do meet the City of Mesa code for parking here, but we’re also going to encourage people to rideshare. We’re going to partner with Uber and Lyft. So, if you buy a ticket to one of our shows, you’ll immediately get a discounted ride through rideshare for that day.”
The entertainment is an extension of the Mesa Potato Barn’s free monthly concert series, which began in March 2020. After a summer break, the shows — mostly tribute acts — will return in September, with the final gig in December.
“We’ve been creating a music scene in the East Valley quietly through a grassroots approach,” he said. “We’ve decided to stop in December of this year. It’s time to focus on The Nox and buy a ticket when you want to see the next show.”
The look
The Nox’s exterior will be a mix of old Chicago warehouse brick and iron, with city-approved “great signage.” Video display boards will advertise upcoming events.
The first floor will house an outdoor patio. The second floor will have 5,000 square feet of balcony space that could be leased for private events. Heaters and misters will regulate the patios’ temperature.
“We’re trying to make it as comfortable as possible,” Hrizak said.
“Also, the music will be piped in out there, so if somebody does go out to take a break from the interior, they won’t miss the show.”
Hotel Umbrella Studios
The concert hall will be 75% of the building, with the remaining space dedicated to Hotel Umbrella Studios, a video production soundstage where “people will be able to record commercials, make TV shows, and even go as far as to make movies within this facility.”
Hrizak said the state’s film incentive law is structured in a very specific way: tax credits don’t go to the venue that hosts a production, but to the company that performs the qualified video production. In other words, the benefit follows the production activity itself, not the facility.
Under Arizona statute, a production company can apply for credits only if it meets certain requirements — such as spending a minimum amount in the state, hiring Arizona workers, and completing the necessary documentation to prove the work was done here.
Those credits are designed to offset costs like labor, equipment, and other production‑related expenses, not to subsidize the property owner.
Hrizak recalled the statute saying a venue — even one built or upgraded to attract film or video projects — isn’t eligible for the incentive on its own. The law treats the venue as a host site, not a participant in the production, so it doesn’t qualify for the tax benefit unless it is also
“This activity must be completed in a qualified facility within the state of Arizona,” he said. “There is not one qualified facility within the state of Arizona. Even though we have this money earmarked as tax credits, the state can’t give it away because there is no qualified facility that meets it.”
Hotel Umbrella Studios will be the state’s first qualified facility, he added. The Arizona Commerce Authority’s film commission will have “some place to refer business to in Arizona for that credit.”
Legacy project
“The Nox is definitely a passion project of the Bongiorno family,” Hrizak said. “Mr. [Greg] Bongiorno lives in Gilbert, about 6 minutes away from his Potato Barn [in Mesa].
“He bought the land because he doesn’t like to drive too much.”
While the Mesa store was under construction, Bongiorno told Hrizak, “I want to buy this property for a future warehouse. I want to buy this property for the future Nox.”
“So, he just built this compound. The East Valley has been so good to the Potato Barn family — they started out here, truly in a potato barn — and they just want to give back to the community.”
