TD Coliseum to open doors after $300M facelift. Here’s what to expect at the Hamilton venue
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Hamilton’s downtown entertainment venue reopens this week after two years of extensive, expensive renovations.
Fresh off a gig in Montreal, rocker Paul McCartney will perform at TD Coliseum’s first public show Friday evening — the last of the two Canadian stops on the Got Back tour across North America by the legendary Beatles and Wings artist. Earth, Wind and Fire played at an invitation-only test run of the venue on Tuesday.
Called FirstOntario Centre before the renovations and Copps Coliseum when it opened in 1985, the arena is located at York Boulevard and Bay Street North.
WATCH | Take a look inside Hamilton’s TD Coliseum:
Take a look inside Hamilton’s TD Coliseum
Renovations on the former FirstOntario Centre opened up previously inaccessible spaces across upper and lower levels in the arena.
U.S. arena development company Oak View Group took CBC Hamilton on a tour through the facility during construction in March and again this week, showcasing the space’s $300-million facelift.
The plan to redevelop the arena was years in the making. While the seat count has remained roughly the same at 18,000, the renovation has opened up previously inaccessible spaces across upper and lower levels in the arena, making it easier for people to move around. The old design funnelled guests through one main route.
Construction workers talk on the floor at TD Coliseum, the revamped downtown arena project by Oak View Group. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)
Other changes include box seats at floor level, a new artist lounge, another elevator and new restaurants. The venue will have 30 places to dine, Oak View Group says, including celebrity chef Matty Matheson’s new pub-style restaurant The Iron Cow Public House.
“You will not believe the transformation from the old building,” Michael Scarpino, TD Coliseum’s general manager, told CBC Hamilton on Wednesday.
He added the company hired 400 people to work at the venue, “about 85 per cent” of which are part time.
Chefs work in a kitchen at the venue on Nov. 19. TD Coliseum general manager Michael Scarpino said the company hired 400 people to work at the venue. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)
The venue is structured to support live music, Scarpino said, because “Hamilton is a music town.”
Cardi B, the Jonas Brothers and Twice are some of the high-profile artists set to perform in the coming months. In March, TD Coliseum will host the Canadian music awards show the Junos.
There’ll also be sports at the arena, with the Toronto Rock National Lacrosse League team returning in December and the Toronto Sceptres PWHL team playing there in January.
‘It makes a difference’
WATCH | Hamilton residents react to TD Coliseum opening:
‘Paul McCartney, can you believe it?’ Hamilton residents excited for TD Coliseum opening
Former Beatle Paul McCartney will play the first public concert at the arena on Friday, previously known as the FirstOntario Centre.
Hamiltonians passing by the venue on Wednesday told CBC Hamilton they were excited for the opening.
“I’m pretty excited about who’s going to be playing there. I’m going to be seeing Twice in the new year,” Mackenzie Peplow said.
Emmanuel Gio told CBC it’s nice to be able to go to a big show in Hamilton as opposed to having to commute to Toronto, where most big names have tended to perform.
“It makes a difference being able to take one bus ride versus having to take the bus to then take another bus and then take a GO train up,” Gio said. “You can go with your friends right here in Hamilton.”
“I think it’s a great chance for [people] to come and explore the city as well and get to know Hamilton better,” said Ayaan Siddiqui, who moved to the city from Pakistan to attend McMaster University.
Clarissa DerNederlanden works at Hamilton Public Library’s Central branch, which is next to the arena.
The branch is hosting a McCartney sing-a-long on Friday at 1 p.m. ET.
“We’re very excited that Paul McCartney is in town this week,” DerNederlanden said. “Can you believe it?
“I love Hamilton,” she said. “I’ve lived here for almost 20 years and it’s lovely to see it go through growth and revitalization.”
GO trains to depart later to accommodate concert
Provincial transit agency Metrolinx says the last GO Trains of the night on the Lakeshore West and East lines will “hold to accommodate customers” going home after the Friday concert.
The last train to Toronto’s Union station from West Harbour GO will depart 16 minutes later, at 11:40 p.m. The last train from Union to Oshawa GO will depart 21 minutes later at 1:11 a.m. to connect better with the delayed Lakeshore West train, a spokesperson said in an email.
Hamilton Street Railway is also running a special shuttle bus to get concert-goers to West Harbour.
It will run frequently and pick up on James Street North between York Boulevard and Rebecca Street, Metrolinx said.
