Live Nation Canada and Budweiser Canada team up to revitalize the amphitheatre at Ontario Place

Multi-year, national partnership to start with revitalization of iconic Ontario Place music venue, to be called Budweiser Stage

TORONTO, Jan. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - Budweiser and Live Nation Canada today announced they will collaborate on music events and projects across the country, with the common goal of enhancing the concert experiences of music fans. The multi-year partnership will include a revitalization of the amphitheatre at Ontario Place, which will be named Budweiser Stage beginning in 2017.

"The Budweiser brand has a long association with music in Canada and around the world, and we look forward to continuing to grow and evolve our music presence in collaboration with Live Nation. Our partnership marks the beginning of great things to come for music fans from coast to coast," said Todd Allen, vice president, marketing, Labatt Breweries of Canada. "We're also thrilled that the iconic venue for musicians at Ontario Place will carry the name Budweiser Stage, and that music fans will now be able to enjoy Canada's most popular beer at the country's premier music venue."

For the 2017 concert season, the new partnership between Live Nation and Budweiser Canada will focus on heightening the fan experience at Budweiser Stage, including:

• decreasing wait time in queues by adding more concession locations, and expanding the cashless payment options at point-of-sale locations with tap, chip and pin, and mobile payment apps;
• refurbishing all concession stands to create an upgraded look and feel for concert-goers and upgrading concession offerings; and
• enhancing the pre-show experience, allowing fans to arrive at the venue earlier and enjoy the space before the show.

"The amphitheatre at Ontario Place has been a landmark entertainment destination for the Ontario and Toronto communities for years," said John May, president, media and corporate partnerships, Live Nation Canada. "With the upgrades to Budweiser Stage, we look forward to enhancing the concert experience for the fans as we continue to fulfill our mission of connecting fans with the artists they love."

Budweiser Stage and the new partnership with Live Nation Canada is the latest dimension of Budweiser's growing commitment to music in Canada, and across the world. Since 2010, Budweiser has positioned itself as the world's first global beer brand, and investing in music – a global, social experience – has been central in fulfilling this goal. Globally, Budweiser's well-attended and popular music events include Budweiser Made in America and the world's largest EDM festival, TomorrowLand.

In Canada, Budweiser is involved in largescale music events like North by Northeast (NXNE) and the Calgary Stampede. Over the past five years alone, Budweiser's presence and investment in music has grown significantly in Canada. In addition to Budweiser Stage, music fans will see the partnership between Live Nation and Budweiser in action across the country, with Budweiser as the new, lead beer sponsor at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, as well as at select Live Nation concerts and festivals, including Trackside in London, Ontario, One Love in Calgary, Alberta and many more. Together, Live Nation and Budweiser will continue to give music fans access to some of the most popular musicians and artists across the country, and concert goers will be offered a larger portfolio of beverages to choose from than ever before.

About Budweiser Canada
Budweiser – the King of Beers – has been brewed since 1876 under the highest quality standards. Brewed in Canada for more than 35 years, Budweiser uses only the finest ingredients without any artificial ingredients, additives or preservatives. Budweiser is distinguished by its clean, crisp, distinctive flavour, the result of a unique beechwood aging process.

About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

SOURCE Budweiser Canada

Tamar Nersesian, Communications Manager, Labatt Breweries of Canada, [email protected], 416-361-5247; Erin Smyth, Senior Director, Marketing, Live Nation Canada, [email protected]