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An AC/DC concert scheduled for Sept. 16 at Rogers Stadium has been cancelled due to “severe damage” done to the venue by a storm a week ago, Live Nation says.
In a statement Wednesday, Live Nation said the open air venue, which seats 50,000 people, is “not capable” of hosting fans for the concert.
“Safety for employees, fans, artists and vendors is always paramount,” Live Nation said.
“Last Wednesday’s storm was an exceptionally severe and significant weather event, and in the days since, engineers have conducted a thorough assessment of the venue in coordination with the City of Toronto. That work has determined that sections of the venue impacted by the storm will need to be removed and rebuilt.”
All original ticket purchases for the cancelled concert will be automatically refunded in full through Ticketmaster, it said.
Fans who bought resale tickets should contact their point of sale for refund information, Live Nation added.
The cancellation comes after the City of Toronto issued an “order to remedy unsafe building” to Live Nation Canada on Sept. 3 after inspecting the venue. Live Nation Canada operates Rogers Stadium.
The city had given Live Nation Canada until Sept. 8 to submit a report outlining the damage and timeline for repairs. It confirmed in a statement Wednesday that it had received the report.
Company says it knows decision is ‘disappointing’
Wayne Zronik, president of business operations for Live Nation Canada, said in a statement that the company knows fans will be disappointed.
“Cancelling a concert is never a decision we want to make, and we know how disappointing this will be for all of us who have been looking forward to seeing AC/DC close out our summer season,” Zronik said.
“Safety has to come first,” he said. “The right decision is to take the time to remove and rebuild the affected parts of the stadium to ensure it is ready to welcome fans next summer.”
Kevin Mahoney, Rogers Stadium’s on-site meteorologist, said in the statement that there was a suspected microburst in the area with extreme winds and heavy rainfall.
“We continuously monitor the weather at Rogers Stadium to provide decision support around concert safety. It’s clear by the extreme intensity of the storm that this was exceptional for the region, and forensic meteorological analysis is ongoing,” Mahoney said.
Live Nation added that the venue operates under “extensive operational oversight” and undergoes “rigorous safety inspection process.”
“Engineers have worked with the City of Toronto from the beginning of the project and continue to do so as remediation work moves forward,” it said in the statement.
Storm left bleachers crumpled
In the aftermath of the storm, drone photos of the stadium showed bright blue bleachers crumpled and strewn across grandstands that appear to have partially collapsed.
The order issued by the city said the damage included “collapsed sections of the north stadium structure, damaged seating areas, and distorted, displaced, or otherwise compromised structural framing associated with various temporary structures.
“In addition, other structures and equipment within the stadium grounds were impacted by high winds, including overturned viewing stations, tents, and shipping containers.”
The storm, which included heavy rain and high winds, brought down trees, knocked out power to thousands and left some roadways flooded.
On the evening of the storm, Live Nation Canada said the storm did “significant damage” to the stadium.
