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Thestar.com
Dec. 15, 2021

Exhibition Place may be getting a new venue for esports, music and fashion events, which its CEO says could help the area reach its potential and solve an “identity and branding challenge.”

A proposal for the site, which would allow construction of a 7,000-seat theatre-style venue and 400-room hotel on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard, across from Ontario Place, goes to city council this week. If approved, it would be scheduled for completion mid-2025.

The venue would be owned by Library Hotel Collection and be an addition to its Hotel X building at Exhibition Place. It would be co-operated with OverActive Media, an esports and entertainment company. Both Library Hotel Collection and OverActive Media declined interview requests from the Star.

“I’m excited -- excited for the opportunity and what it does for Exhibition Place,” said Don Boyle, CEO of Exhibition Place. “It truly opens up a whole new book of business for us. The 400-room (hotel) tower allows us to compete for the meeting and convention sector of the business that we weren’t able to before. And the addition of the venue allows for keynote speakers -- so it’s a real differentiator for us, competing for business with other North American cities.”

The venue would also become home to two of OverActive’s esports teams, Toronto Ultra of the Call of Duty League and Toronto Defiant of the Overwatch League. Audiences would be able to watch them compete there live throughout the year.

This year’s global esports audience is 474 million people, according to Statista, and the industry is currently valued at just over $1 billion -- an almost 50 per cent increase from the previous year.

As well, esports betting grew tremendously in recent years, the Star reported in June, with one gaming company CEO estimating the pandemic “propelled esports betting 2-3 years ahead,” as it was less disrupted by COVID-19 than traditional sports.

“We talk about Toronto being a world-class city, and major cities around the world -- London, Paris, Hong Kong -- all have (esports) teams,” said Boyle. “It was inevitable in Toronto.”

Boyle said the venue is projected to hold about 50 to 60 esports events and 160 music and entertainment shows. He said the size of the space -- more than twice the capacity of Massey Hall and about one-third that of Scotiabank Arena -- puts it in a “great niche market” to host “world-class” acts seeking a middle ground between arenas and more intimate performance settings.

The city report on the proposal notes the $147 million hotel and venue could generate about $174 million for the city over its full 39-year lease term.

The proposal includes plans for a 350-space underground parking area, though existing parking spaces would be built over, leading to a permanent net loss of 206 parking spaces.

“Exhibition Place just has so much more potential. We want it to be busy all the time and welcoming for Torontonians,” Boyle said.

“A lot of people have fond memories of their visit to the CNE and the Fall Fair each year, but Exhibition Place is so much more than that.”