As the touring industry awakens, Drake is collaborating with Live Nation Canada on a new live entertainment venue in the rapper and businessman’s beloved hometown of Toronto that will open its doors later this year.
The venue, called History, has a capacity of 2,500. The intimate size is intentional: “Some of my most memorable shows were playing smaller rooms,” Drake said in a statement. “I wanted to take those memories and what I learned to create an incredible experience for both the artists and the fans.”
History has been in development for more than three years, and construction is scheduled to be complete later this summer. The venue includes both general admission and reserved seating areas. Once doors open, it will host 200 concerts and other events annually.
“We saw an opportunity to bring Toronto a great new venue, and we have so much gratitude and respect for Drake teaming up with us to bring it to life in the best way possible,” Live Nation Entertainment president/CEO Michael Rapino said.
Added Live Nation Canada chairman Riley O’Connor: “History will offer guests up-close experiences with their favorite artists that are unrivaled in Toronto. We take pride in and expect History to become an important part of the community.”
As of last week, 2 million Toronto residents have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and 303,000 of them have been fully vaccinated.
While dozens of North American music venues were closing their doors during the pandemic, other venues have been in development, and History joins a growing list of soon-to-open venues across the globe. Live Nation also plans to open a 5,000-capacity venue called Terminal in Houston this November; touring industry executives Dan Merker and Brian Carp have broken ground on a 3,000-capacity venue just outside St. Louis, MO, dubbed The Factory; and Harry Styles invested in Oak View Group’s Manchester arena Co-Op Live, set to open in 2023.
