Empire Polo Club

Empire Polo Club is a 250-acre polo grounds at 81-800 Avenue 51 in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley and Colorado Desert of Southern California. Since 1993, it has been the site of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), holds a 28-year lease agreement for full operational control of the grounds, signed in 2021. The site is best suited for large-scale outdoor festivals and is not a bookable venue for individual concerts.

History

The club was founded in 1987 with twelve polo grounds, making it one of the largest polo clubs on the West Coast of the United States. It hosts local, national, and international polo matches and tournaments, including the Gay Polo League and the USPA Townsend International Challenge Cup (2015).

Goldenvoice began leasing the polo grounds annually in 1993 for the Coachella Festival. The first Coachella was held in October 1999, sparked by a 1993 Pearl Jam concert at the site (Pearl Jam refused to play Los Angeles due to a dispute with Ticketmaster). In 2021, Goldenvoice signed a 28-year lease for full operational control, opening the door to more events beyond Coachella and Stagecoach. The polo fields were closed in November 2021 as part of this transition.

In 2022, AEG launched the Coachella Valley Invitational, a winter preseason tournament for MLS and NWSL teams that grew to 30,000 attendees by 2024. In June 2025, the club proposed a mixed-use development near the festival grounds, including homes, shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities.

How the Venue Operates

Empire Polo Club is located in Indio, about a 30-minute drive from Palm Springs and a 2 to 2.5-hour drive from downtown Los Angeles or San Diego. The site features over 250 acres of lush gardens and pristine polo fields.

Coachella runs across two weekends in April each year, with a daily capacity of approximately 125,000 attendees. Stagecoach follows on the weekend after Coachella's second weekend, focusing on country music. Goldenvoice handles all booking and operations for both festivals. The site is also available for private events, corporate functions, and sporting tournaments through Empire Polo Club Events.

Tickets for Coachella typically go on sale in June for the following year, with presale registration required. Both weekends usually sell out within hours. The festival offers on-site camping (car camping, tent camping, and RV options) as well as nearby hotel packages. Shuttle services run from Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and other locations.

Notable Events

Beyond Coachella and Stagecoach, Empire Polo Club has hosted several major standalone events:

• Festival 8 (October 2009): Phish's three-day festival, where the band performed the Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street" in its entirety on Halloween.
• Desert Trip (October 2016): A two-weekend festival featuring Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters, and The Who. It grossed $160 million, making it one of the highest-grossing music events ever.
• Power Trip (October 2023): A metal festival featuring Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Tool.

Coachella itself has headlined acts including Beyonce, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Lady Gaga across its history.

2026 Season

The 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place across two weekends in April at Empire Polo Club. Stagecoach Festival follows on the subsequent weekend. Specific lineup announcements are typically released in January. Check the Coachella website for the most current information. Read our guide on how to perform at Coachella for practical advice on getting booked.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Empire Polo Club is not a venue you book directly. All programming goes through Goldenvoice. However, Coachella and Stagecoach have multiple stages, including smaller ones that feature emerging artists. The festival's booking team actively scouts talent through agents, streaming data, and industry recommendations.

Independent artists targeting Coachella should focus on building streaming numbers, securing a booking agent with Goldenvoice relationships, and playing showcase festivals like SXSW. The festival also books through its own emerging artist programs in some years. Read our music festival strategy guide for a detailed approach to getting booked at major festivals.

For artists performing at Coachella, the exposure is significant. The festival generates millions of streams for performers in the weeks following their sets. Even a daytime slot on a smaller stage can substantially increase an independent artist's profile. Use our Tour Revenue Calculator to model how a Coachella appearance could affect your touring income.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• The site is in the Colorado Desert. Temperatures during Coachella (April) regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) during the day and drop significantly at night. Heat exhaustion is a real concern for attendees and performers.
• Dust is a persistent issue. The polo fields are grass, but high foot traffic and wind create dust storms, particularly in the camping areas.
• The location is remote. Indio is not near a major airport. The closest is Palm Springs International Airport (30 minutes), but most attendees fly into Los Angeles (2.5 hours) or San Diego (2.5 hours) and drive.
• Goldenvoice controls all booking. Independent artists cannot rent the space. You must go through the festival's programming team or a booking agent with Goldenvoice connections.
• The proposed mixed-use development (announced June 2025) could change the character of the site in coming years. Residential construction near the festival grounds may lead to noise restrictions or operational changes.
• Performance fees for smaller acts are modest. The financial value of Coachella is in the exposure and the post-festival touring bump, not the appearance fee itself.

Related Resources

• How to Perform at Coachella - Practical guide to getting booked
• Music Festival Strategy: Get Booked and Make It Count
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Estimate earnings from live performances
• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026
• Empire Polo Club Events