The Budweiser Stage at Ontario Place in Toronto, Canada, is to be redeveloped into a year-round venue for live music and other performances, Live Nation Canada has announced. The venue will have capacity for 9,000 indoors, and 20,000 outdoors.
Live Nation Canada notes that the new amphitheatre will continue to welcome world-class artists, hosting live music and other events. The company said the move demonstrated its support of the provincial government’s vision to revitalise and redevelop Ontario Place as a premium destination that will attract global visitors through remarkable new attractions.
With sustainability at the heart of the design, the redesigned amphitheatre at Ontario Place will be designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance in terms of energy savings, water efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
The work is scheduled for completion by 2030, and the new facility is expected to receive up to one million visitors and support more than 900 jobs during events.
“The redevelopment of the amphitheatre into a year-round venue means that fans will have increased opportunities to enjoy the live experience in our city,” said Riley O’Connor, chairman, Live Nation Canada. “We’ve been making memories at Budweiser Stage for 25 years now, and we look forward to bringing even more music to Toronto.”
“Live Nation has made the Ontario Place amphitheatre a landmark entertainment destination for more than 25 years,” said Lisa MacLeod, minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries. “Their plan to redevelop the amphitheatre into a modern, sustainable, year-round indoor-outdoor live music and performance venue will attract more high-profile musical acts and incredible, world-class events than ever before. It will be a great addition to the redeveloped Ontario Place, and its role in Ontario’s post-pandemic recovery.”
Since opening the doors more than 25 years ago, Live Nation has seen more than eight million music fans attend a concert at the venue. Since the inaugural performance by Bryan Adams on 18 May 1995, acts who have performed there include The Tragically Hip, Billie Eilish, Foo Fighters, Blue Rodeo, Lizzo, Daniel Caesar, Whitney Houston, Blue Rodeo, Arkells, David Bowie, Rihanna, Luke Bryan, Spice Girls, Mumford & Sons, City & Colour and Drake and his OVO Festival.
Live Nation Canada’s venue portfolio also includes Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, Midway in Edmonton, along with Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall, Velvet Underground and History, a newly announced 2,500-capacity venue.
