Oak View Group, which operates Hamilton’s TD Coliseum (formerly the FirstOntario Centre), announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reigning NBA Champion and Most Valuable Player, is investing in the venue and becoming a part of the ownership group.
An atrium located along York Boulevard will also be named the “Ares Atrium” after his two-year-old son.
In a press release, Gilgeous-Alexander said that joining the ownership is “really personal.”
“Growing up in Hamilton shaped who I am, so having the opportunity to help build something special in my hometown means everything,” he said.
“Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I want this venue to be a place artists are excited to perform, where fans can experience world-class shows right here in the city, where some of my friends in music can perform, and where we’re truly investing back into the local economy,” the NBA champion concluded.
A number of high-profile events are also coming up at the venue.
From March 12 to 15, Disney on Ice will be performing.
Then, in one of the biggest events of the year, the 2026 Juno Awards will come to the arena on Sunday, March 29.
The Junos are hosted by Mae Martin, include performances by the Arkells, The Beaches, Daniel Caesar, and William Prince, and feature special appearances by Joni Mitchell and Nelly Furtado.
Next, Cardi B will be stopping in as part of her Little Miss Drama Tour.
April events include Goo Goo Dolls (April 2), Monster Jam (April 17-19), and country group Old Dominion (April 23).
Another must-see event, Stars on Ice, arrives on May 2.
The Stars on Ice 2026 Tour includes “the nation’s brightest figure skating stars,” including Canadian skating icon Elvis Stojko, a two-time Olympic Silver Medallist and three-time World Champion.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, fresh off their first Olympic medal (a bronze) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, are also a part of the lineup.
Three-time Olympic medallist Kaetlyn Osmond, one of Canada’s most decorated figure skaters, also features.
Other May events are Three Days Grace (May 3), Charlie Puth (May 20), and the Professional Bull Riders Canada Cup Series (May 30).
June includes The Guess Who (June 1), 5 Seconds of Summer (June 2), and Ne-Yo and Akon (June 27).
In July, Canada’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team, which includes Gilgeous-Alexander, will host back-to-back games as part of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
Canada will play Puerto Rico on July 3 and Jamaica on July 6.
Other high-profile events include Bryan Adams (August 28), Jason Aldean (September 17), comedian Jimmy Carr (October 15), Andrea Bocelli (December 19) and Hilary Duff (February 2, 2027).
Full details on all upcoming events can be viewed at www.tdcoliseum.com/events.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
