GREENVILLE — The world’s top earning comedian set records when he last visited Greenville.
Nate Bargatze, who’s known for his clean stand-up comedy, drew more than 25,000 people to two shows at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena the weekend before Thanksgiving.
The shows were the highest-grossing, highest-selling and highest-attended for a comedy act in the arena’s history, the venue reported. The previous record holder for a comedy performance there was set by Katt Williams in 2024.
“His comedy is so relatable,” said Beth Paul, the arena’s general manager. “All over the country, his shows are doing so well.”
Opened in 1998, “The Well” seats 15,500 people and hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including music performances, comedy shows and college basketball tournaments.
Bargatze is the No. 1 earning comedian in the world, the arena said, citing Pollstar, and ranks No. 12 in overall live tour ticket sales.
Paul said they wanted to maximize the show experience for fans by providing amenities like special food and drink options and special photo opportunities, Paul said.
“We all know that Nate is going to be wonderful on stage, but we want the experience when you arrive to the arena and when you leave the arena to be really great,” Paul said. “We like to build upon success.”
The arena has already made improvements as part of its ambitious master plan, which will transform the downtown campus into a bustling entertainment hub, with new performance venues and renovations to the existing venue.
For the Bargatze shows, new, cushioned seats with cupholders were already in place, and acoustics were greatly improved, Paul said.
The arena continues to make progress on design work and other internal steps, Paul said. The arena is governed by a publicly appointed board, the Greenville Arena District, that levies a small tax on the populous central areas of Greenville County to help fund part of the arena’s operations.
The first phase of its master plan is estimated to cost about $150 million and will focus on improving the venue’s interior for guests and performers alike, capped by a modernized main entrance and expanded accessibility.
Longer-term possibilities, such as a retail plaza and a 6,500-person outdoor amphitheater, would transform the property into a true entertainment district. Right now, the 12-acre campus is dominated by parking lots and underused space.
The amphitheater could fill a gap in Greenville’s performance venues. Arena officials conducted a market study that found 30 to 40 acts per year skip the city because of its lack of a suitable venue, opting for other amphitheaters in the Southeast.
Nate Bargatze sets Bon Secours Wellness Arena venue records
