Development of the venue was a result of work by Cellar Door Productions, a prominent concert promoter in the area at the time. Two separate controversies led to the opening of the venue. The community had voiced complaints regarding the
Grateful Dead shows at nearby
RFK Stadium, a circumstance similar to the creation of
Shoreline Amphitheatre in
Mountain View, California 9 years prior. Meanwhile,
The Walt Disney Company was in the planning stages of its proposed
Disney's America theme park in the area. Locals were angered at the proposed theme park. As a result, authorities granted permits for the pavilion instead. The location was decided due to proximity to the interstate as well as the capacity of the proposed facility to handle large crowds over multiple days. The amphitheater opened in June 1995 with a show including
The Village People,
Laura Branigan,
Rose Royce, and
The Trammps. On July 24, 2004, the American hard rock band
Kiss recorded their concert here for the live album Rock the Nation Live! (DVD). Then-
Senator Barack Obama held a rally for his
2008 presidential campaign at the venue on June 5, 2008. On January 8, 2010, the name of the venue was changed from "Nissan Pavilion" to "Jiffy Lube Live" as a result of a business agreement between
Live Nation and
Jiffy Lube Washington Area Co-op Inc. In January 2012 the venue posted that tailgating would be returning with a set of rules posted on their website. ==Performers==