John Labatt Centre
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The John Labatt Centre is an arena in London, Ontario, the largest arena in southwestern Ontario.
The John Labatt Centre, usually referred to as the "JLC," opened on October 11, 2002. It was built partially as a replica of the Talbot Inn, one of the original 19th century buildings in London that was formerly located on the site. The JLC was built to be the new home of London's Ontario Hockey League team, the London Knights, and hosted of the 2005 Memorial Cup, the CHL championship (which the Knights also won). The JLC has 55% more public restrooms than is required by law. For accessibility to all, it follows the guidelines of both the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act for accessibility (even though not required to under Canadian law).
It can hold 9,100 people for hockey games, and it can seat over 10,000 people for other events. In addition to the standard end stage configuration for large concerts, the arena can also be set up to accommodate touring Broadway shows, or smaller concerts, in its theatre mode. The theatre mode features a small, intimate atmosphere, and a 30-line fly grid to suspend scenery or lighting and sound.
The arena features 38 luxury suites, as well as over 1,000 club seats.
It has been the location for a number of high-profile concerts, including Cher, Tom Jones, Nickelback, Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, and Metallica. It is one of the last venues that Guns 'n Roses played on their ill-fated "Chinese Democracy" Tour, appearing at the arena on November 30, 2002.
The John Labatt Centre is owned by the London Civic Centre Corporation, an example of a Public-private partnership. It is managed by Global Spectrum, a Philadelphia-based company that also operates more than 40 other arenas, stadiums, and convention centres.
Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster Canada, and the box office.
It is named after John Labatt, founder of the Labatt brewery, which is also located in London.
The construction of this arena was decided upon as a part of the city government's overall effort to revitalize the city's downtown core. There were some complaints about the expense of the project and doubts about its intended economic benefits. However, within a few years of opening, the London Knights had a spectacular championship season in the 2004-05 season and the arena was well positioned to take maximum advantage of the popularity including hosting the Memorial Cup.
External links
- John Labatt Centre (http://www.johnlabattcentre.com/)
- Global Spectrum Facility Management (http://www.global-spectrum.com/)