Andrea Bocelli Tour Announcement Includes First Announced Show At New Hamilton Arena

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has become the first artist announced to perform at the revamped Hamilton Arena in Ontario, Canada, with a Dec. 9 date being the artist’s only Canadian show announced as part of a late-year 2025 tour.

While it’s the first announced date for the arena, a $200 million-plus renovation of the formerly named FirstOntario Centre, the Bocelli show will be part of a larger grand opening series at the venue.

“We’re talking early December right now as our opening timeframe,” said Nick DeLuco, general manager of the arena and SVP at Oak View Group, which is partnered with Live Nation on the project. Last week the arena was announced host to the Juno Awards, Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards, in March 2026. “It’s part of our opening series, as we’re calling it, for that first month or two months. We’re going to put as many shows as we can, diversifying content, as we kick off the opening of the building.” OVG is parent company to Pollstar.

The Dec. 9 gig is billed as Bocelli’s first performance in Hamilton, a special occasion worthy of being one of the arena’s first shows, DeLuco says.

“There’s a lot of history in the marketplace and you definitely want artists that give the cachet and demonstrate the scale and scope we want for this venue,” DeLuco said, crediting the venue’s booking team and support from Live Nation. “There are a lot of conversations and ideas, then it’s about having a good understanding of the market and putting something on that really puts Hamilton on the map.”

The tour, which runs Oct. 9 through Dec. 21, includes other firsts for the star tenor, including his first performances in Lexington, Kentucky, at Rupp Arena and first performance in Greensboro, North Carolina, at First Horizon Arena. The routing also includes Madison Square Garden, marking 25 years of Andrea Bocelli at the world’s most famous arena.

With the Juno Awards announcement and Bocelli date on the books, DeLuco and the small army of people involved in the project are eager to reopen what is being considered a transformational project in the city, which has historically been underserved and is easily routed to nearby major markets like Detroit, Buffalo and nearby Toronto.

“As far as construction goes, I would say they’re about 60% of the way there, which is great,” DeLuco said. “The project management team and the guys overseeing all that are doing a phenomenal job. It’s on time and on budget, so that’s always great news.” New features at the arena, apart from fully redone seating bowl and concourses, include concert-first amenities including extensive artist rooms and facilities, redone back-of-house spaces and new premium spaces including event-level suites.

“We’re debuting lots of new restaurants and lounges and great spaces and amenities that Hamilton and the people that have gone to this building for the last 30 years have never seen,” DeLuco said. “And, like I said, some things that some people in the industry haven’t seen before, either. They are a huge asset for us.”

ANDREA Bocelli Fall & Winter 2025 Tour Dates

Thursday, October 9, 2025 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center *With the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra

Saturday, October 11, 2025 – Atlanta, GA – Gas South Arena

Sunday, October 12, 2025 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Arena *First time in Greensboro. With the Greensboro Symphony

Thursday, December 4, 2025 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Saturday, December 6, 2025 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena *First performance in Lexington

Sunday, December 7, 2025 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 – Hamilton, ON – Hamilton Arena *First performance in Hamilton

Thursday, December 11, 2025 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Saturday, December 13, 2025 – Hartford, CT – XL Center

Sunday, December 14, 2025 – Washington DC – Capital One Arena

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden *Marking 25 years of Andrea Bocelli at MSG

Thursday, December 18, 2025 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Sunday, December 21, 2025 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center