New Toronto theatre will have impact on Niagara

Mayor calls for ‘new markets’ to be developed to help local tourism

Anything you can do …

Already worried about what a glitzy new, billion-dollar Vegas-style resort and casino in northwest Toronto could mean for the two casinos in Niagara Falls, local officials will have taken note of Great Canadian Entertainment’s announcement Wednesday it has reached an exclusive partnership with Live Nation Canada on a new 5,000-seat concert venue at the Etobicoke site.

Officials hope the new 5,000-seat OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, which has already attracted Billy Joel and booked the likes of Kevin Hart and Rod Stewart, will soften the blow of a resort to be built and incorporated into Etobicoke’s existing Casino Woodbine, details of which were announced in March.

But on Wednesday, Great Canadian Entertainment announced details about its own 5,000-seat theatre and how its partnership with Live Nation Canada will bring some of the biggest names in entertainment to its venues across the country. That includes The Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, scheduled to open at the new Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto later this year.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Live Nation Canada, the premier live entertainment promoter in the world,” said Gavin Whiteley, chief marketing officer of Great Canadian Entertainment, in a media release. “This partnership will bring some of the biggest and most

exciting artists to our exceptional venues, providing guests with unforgettable experiences they will cherish for years to come.”

The release said the strategic alliance is “one of the first of its kind” in Canada and will “elevate” the entertainment experience at Great Canadian Entertainment’s live venues from coast to coast, including The Arena at Pickering Casino Resort, River Rock Casino Resort, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, Molson Canadian Centre at Casino New Brunswick, and The Schooner Showroom at Casino Nova Scotia.

Live Nation Canada will become the exclusive booking agent, and the two companies will jointly promote programming. The release said Live Nation’s global presence, “vast” industry network, and “robust”

artist relationships, will allow Great Canadian Entertainment to offer a wide range of events.

In an email statement, Richard Taylor, president of Niagara Casinos, said increased competition is expected.

“With the recent success of the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, including the recognition by Pollstar (a trade publication for the concert and live music industry) as the No. 1 venue of its size in Canada and in the top 10 venues of its size in the world, the world-renowned experience Mohegan has, and worldclass entertainment being announced every week at the Avalon Theatre and the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, we could not be more excited about the future of entertainment in Niagara.”

Mayor Jim Diodati said “imitation is the greatest form of flattery” when asked for his reaction to the 5,000-seat venue in Toronto.

“They see the impact that our

theatre is having,” he said. “Having said that, this was well known — we knew this was going to be part of the Woodbine expansion, and that’s why we’ve been stressing the need to develop new markets, and to create new offerings.”

Diodati said local officials have been discussing with the province for the last few years the “need to reinvest in Niagara Falls.”

“We know that this new casino is going to have a major impact on our casinos, as well as all the other casinos in southern Ontario.

“The question is, do you complain about it, or do you do something about it? It’s our strategy to be proactive, and continue to innovate, and continue to draw people in.”

He said the new partnership between Great Canadian Entertainment and Live Nation Canada will “absolutely” have a negative impact on the 5,000-seat OLG Stage at

Fallsview Casino.

However, he said while the casino in Toronto will be more convenient for many people, Niagara Falls is “an iconic resort destination.” “When you come here, you don’t come here just to do one thing. Typically, you come in to take in the whole experience,” said Diodati.

“You come in for the sights, you come in for the wineries, you come for the restaurants, you come for the attractions, you come for the gaming, so it’s a whole experience coming to Niagara. Where in Toronto, in my opinion, it’s going to be convenience because you’re closer to millions of people, so they’re going to have that advantage on us. We’re going to have the advantage of being an iconic resort destination.”