What to know
The former Copps Coliseum/FirstOntario Centre has been completely rebuilt.
The arena now features five premium clubs, 10 suites and first-of-their-kind lower-bowl suites, with most memberships already sold out.
Renovations improve access and flow, with three public concourses, more space, new food vendors and modernized facilities for fans.
Upgraded acoustics include sound baffles, bass traps and treated surfaces to support its “music-first” venue approach.
TD Coliseum launches with major acts, including Paul McCartney, Earth, Wind & Fire, Nine Inch Nails, Cardi B, Journey and more.
The street sign for Hamilton’s TD Coliseum — about 68 km from downtown Toronto — has been installed on York Blvd. near Ray St. N. pointing to the building that originally opened in 1985 as Copps Coliseum then operated for a decade as FirstOntario Centre.
But, after a $300-million renovation that gutted and rebuilt the entire interior of the 19,000-capacity arena, when it officially opens on Friday (Nov. 21), for a sold-out concert by Paul McCartney, fans will see a brand-new everything.
On Tuesday night, thousands of people were treated to a test night of sorts, a full concert by Chicago soul/funk legends Earth, Wind & Fire, for an invite-only free “VIP Preview Celebration” for sponsors and partners. Food kiosks, such as Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club and Rizzo’s House of Parm, were open for business.
What’s inside TD Coliseum?
On Wednesday, media — including Now Toronto — got a guided on-site tour of the three-level arena, which included five premium clubs and 10 suites — almost all memberships are now sold-out for the term — such as the tucked-away memorabilia-adorned 68-capacity Vinyl Room (a partnership with Live Nation Canada) on level 1 to the 156-capacity House of Peroni club on level 3 that has a full view of the bowl, as well as the first-of-its-kind lower bowl suites situated a few feet above floor level with unobstructed views.
The renovated TD Coliseum includes a 68-capacity Vinyl Room. (Courtesy: Karen Bliss)
Now also saw the performers’ dressing rooms and lounge, modern and comfortable, not like typical backstage areas at old hockey arenas. TD Coliseum is what’s called a “music-first venue.”
Designing TD Coliseum
Designed by Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects and constructed by EllisDon, the tour was led by
U.S.-based Paul Young, executive vice-president of global venue development at Oak View Group, the Denver-based professional sports and commercial real estate company which opened a Canadian office in Toronto in 2022.
Young said the max capacity for TD Coliseum is about 19,000 “for boxing or MMA” with a “typical concert” around 13,000 to 14,000.
“The seating capacity is virtually unchanged. Every seat has been replaced, things have been slightly maneuvered around. New seats everywhere. The only seats that are different are the premium areas [in] the clubs and suites. Everywhere else, the upper bowl seats for the general admission and the lower bowl seats for the general admission are the same.”
While it looks like the arena was designed with premium members in mind, it’s just five per cent when it comes to total capacity, and regular folks with no corporate access or membership privileges were also top of mind to ensure they had the similar experience at TD Coliseum that they would have at other new state-of-the-art arenas in North America.
While getting a glimpse inside the 200-capacity members-only Rogers Club — a sizable glass-walled private restaurant, Now Toronto asked Young what regular ticket buyers will experience besides more concession choices.
TD Coliseum’s new Rogers Club is a members-only, glass-walled private restaurant. (Courtesy: Karen Bliss)
“I’ll boil it down for you,” he said. “This arena was built in 1985. It’s a full-sized NHL capacity arena, but it never had all of the spaces unlocked. The concourse we’re on was the only concourse, so the whole upper deck came here, the lower bowl came here, and the floor seats came here. The greatest thing about this renovation is that we have unlocked the dead concourse or the never-built concourse below.”
“We’ve cut vomitories in so that the lower bowl accesses the second concourse. The upper bowl accesses the original concourse and when you get down on the ground floor, there’s a completely new public concourse for all of the floor seat patrons.”
He added that there’s now clubs and suites on the ground level and mid-bowl level, “so we’ve distributed the total capacity across three floors, both for premium and for the public patron.”
In terms of food and beverage offerings, he feels that concessions such as Matty’s Matheson’s House of Parm or burgers on the public concourse “gives everyone a high-end experience.”
He acknowledges that the club and suite members and sponsors are getting a considerably better seat, for the menu and environment, but “the general public…are going to see vast improvements on every level, whether that’s more space to move around, more restrooms to get to and get back to your seat faster, more drinks and more food.
“So, everywhere in the building is an improved situation for the patron.”
Young said fans should also notice a big improvement in sound, including the top level and side stage.
“One of the key things we do in any of our renovations is to hire a sound consultant. There are sound baffles up in the ceiling to improve reverb. There are bass traps built into the architecture to improve the bass rebound. And then all of our vertical solid surfaces have been treated with a sound-absorbing material.”
“So, the combo of all of those things together gives a better sound for all of the concerts coming in. And, it is a music first building and that’s one of the key things that we include in that. It’s not something everybody who comes here as a general public would notice, but yes, it is thought about. It’s included.”
TD Coliseum officially opens on Nov. 21, for a sold-out concert by Paul McCartney. (Courtesy: Karen Bliss)
Other bookings at TD Coliseum include:
Sonu Nigam (Nov. 23)
MGK (Dec. 8)
Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 9)
Brad Paisley (Dec. 12)
Jonas Brothers (Dec. 14)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dec. 28)
Matt Rife (Dec. 30)
Toronto Sceptres (Jan. 3)
Harlem Globetrotters (Feb. 4)
Hardy (Feb. 6)
The Offspring (Feb. 13)
Nine Inch Nails (Feb. 18)
Live (March 5)
Twice (March 7)
Journey (March 9)
Rod Stewart (March 10)
Disney on Ice (March 12-16)
Cardi B (March 31)
Monster Jam Freestyle Mania (April 17-19)
Old Dominion (April 23)
Three Days Grace (May 3)
Stars on Ice (May 2)
Hatsune Miku – EXPO 20226 (May 13)
The Guess Who (June 1).
Professional lacrosse team Toronto Rock (Dec. 13, Dec. 27, Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 20, Feb. 28, March 20, April 4)