Reimagining Engagement

by Mark Harrison

I am excited to hear and learn from the Oak View Group's Megan MacKay and Tom Pistore at SponsorshipX Whistler on July 26th.

In less than a decade, Oak View Group has made a mark and transformed the live entertainment world. Their global success knows no national or industry boundaries, as they have acquired, collaborated on, and aligned arenas, conferences, industry publications, award shows, and media platforms.

One of their most recent projects, and the one closest to where I live in Southern Ontario, is the renovation of FirstOntario Centre, undertaken in conjunction with Live Nation Canada and the Hamilton Urban Precicent Group (HUPEG). ?

The $280-million project is a highly anticipated and transformative effort set to significantly impact the city affectionately known as the Hammer. Companion projects will accompany the arena project, including renovations to the nearby convention centre, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, and the Hamilton concert hall.

HUPEG, which includes Carmens Group, LIUNA, and Fengate, is leading an area redevelopment initiative for The Commons. Plans include three residential sites, a hotel, restaurants, and other new meeting and event spaces.

The arena makeover, set to be completed by the Fall of 2025, marks a long-awaited next chapter in the redevelopment of the core of Hamilton. It will become Canada's only music venue and its first venue. However, this is more than just a building renovation. This project is about transforming a city and, in some ways, an industry. This venue is the physical component of the concrete, and steel will bond artists, fans, and brands into a community of one.

As a sponsorship marketer, I eagerly await news on this venue's commercial partnerships. The potential for an entitlement package is intriguing. I'm excited to see the disruptive approach OVG will likely take to integrating and amplifying partners and what learnings they bring from their approaches in markets as diverse as Manchester and Coachella Valley as part of their $5 billion in arena developments over the next few years.

Given the rise in brand support for music and the overwhelming consumer appetite for entertainment, this is a unique window for venues tailoring their programming to these market shifts. Cleary capacity is outstripping demand. The live events world has significantly caught up, hence my excitement to learn from a group leading the marathon on these seismic industry shifts.