Build an amphitheater in Huntsville on par with storied venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Colorado’s Red Rocks. The idea was met with some understandable skepticism in 2019 when Huntsville city leaders and London-based The Venue Group announced their intentions. Huntsville was just a tertiary market for concert tours. The north Alabama city was known for aerospace engineering. Music? Not so much.

But since Orion Amphitheater opened in Huntsville in spring 2022, naysayers have continually been proven wrong. With a classic coliseum-inspired design with clever contemporary updates, Orion put Huntsville on the map musically.

The amphitheater, run by The Venue Group (now known simply as tvg hospitality) has brought an array of music legends to Huntsville for the first time to perform, including: Stevie Nicks, Robert Plant, Neil Young, Slash, Phish, Lana Del Rey, Jack White, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins. Media outlets like Rolling Stone took notice.

“A world-class outdoor venue inspired by ancient Roman designs is probably the last thing you’d expect to find in Huntsville, Alabama, but the city’s new Orion Amphitheater is all about expectations,” Rolling Stone’s Jon Freeman wrote. “Which makes perfect sense for a town that’s primarily known for sending rockets into outer space.”

Now, Orion is up for some full-circle industry validation. In live music trade publication Pollstar’s 36th annual awards, Orion’s up for Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year. Other nominees include the aforementioned Hollywood Bowl. The winner will receive an award named for Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Others vying for Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year honors include: Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash.; Greek Theatre in Los Angeles; Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, N.C.; and Budweiser Stage in Toronto.

Pollstar subscribers can vote by logging in at pollstar.com/pollstar-awards. Voting is open now through 7 p.m. central Dec. 6.

According to Pollstar’s website, in addition to subscriber votes, data reporting and ticket sales will be weighted elements in the final results in some categories. Winners will be announced Feb. 19 during the three-day Pollstar Live! Conference in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Other Pollstar Awards categories include honors for arenas, stadiums, theaters, nightclubs, festivals, tours, headliners, support acts and new concert venues.

Also of note for music fans from Alabama, Green Hill/Muscle Shoals native Jason Isbell is up for Residency of the Year, for this annual stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Other Residency of the Year nominees include Adele, U2, Eagles, Billy Joel and Dead & Company.

A list of other categories/nominees of interest to general music fans is below. A complete list, including more industry-centric awards, can be found at pollstar.com.

Major Tour of the Year

Coldplay, Music of the Spheres World Tour

Morgan Wallen, One Night At A Time 2024

Noah Kahan, We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour

Olivia Rodrigo, Guts World Tour

Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour

Zach Bryan, The Quittin Time Tour

Rock Tour of the Year

blink-182, One More Time Tour

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, 2024 World Tour

Coldplay, Music of the Spheres World Tour

Foo Fighters, Everything or Nothing At All Tour

Green Day, The Saviors Tour

Metallica, M72 World Tour

Hip-Hop Tour of the Year

$UICIDEBOY$, Grey Day Tour 2024

Drake, It’s All A Blur Tour

Megan Thee Stallion, Hot Girl Summer Tour

Missy Elliott, Out of This World — The Missy Elliott Experience

Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2 World Tour

Travis Scott, The Circus Maximus Tour

R&B Tour of the Year

Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson: Together Again

Jhené Aiko, The Magic Hour Tour

Kehlani, The Crash World Tour

Maxwell, The Serenade Tour

Usher, Usher: Past Present Future

XSCAPE / SWV, The Queens of R&B Tour

Pop Tour of the Year

Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour

Charli XCX & Troye Sivan, Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat

Justin Timberlake, The Forget Tomorrow World Tour

Olivia Rodrigo, Guts World Tour

P!NK, Summer Carnival 2024

Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour

Country Tour of the Year

Chris Stapleton, All-American Road Show

Jelly Roll, The Beautifully Broken Tour

Kenny Chesney, Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour

Lainey Wilson, Country’s Cool Again Tour

Morgan Wallen, One Night At A Time 2024

Tyler Childers, Mule Pull ‘24 Tour

Zach Bryan, The Quittin Time Tour

Music Festival of The Year (global; over 30K attendance)

Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas

BottleRock Napa Valley, Napa, Calif.

Bourbon & Beyond, Louisville, Kent.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio, Calif.

Lollapalooza Festival, Chicago, Ill.

Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival, Indio, Calif.

Nightclub of the Year

9:30 Club, Washington D.C.

Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn, N.W.

First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn.

HISTORY, Toronto, Ontario

Roadrunner, Boston, Mass.

The Sylvee, Madison, Wisc.

Theatre of the Year

Altria Theater, Richmond, Va.

Beacon Theatre, New York

Brooklyn Paramount, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Radio City Music Hall, New York

Ryman Auditorium, Nashville

YouTube Theater, Inglewood, Calif.

Arena of the Year (U.S.)

Bridgestone Arena, Nashville

Kia Forum, Inglewood, Calif.

Madison Square Garden, New York

Moody Center, Austin, Texas

Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kent.

Sphere, Las Vegas

Stadium of the Year (U.S.)

Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Fenway Park, Boston

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.

Nissan Stadium, Nashville

SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.

US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.