If you’re trying to keep track of what Toronto’s famous waterfront amphitheater is actually called, you’re not alone — this single venue at Ontario Place has carried four different official names since 1995, and older concert tickets, playlists, and reviews can reference any one of them.
Below is the complete rundown of every name the venue has ever had, in order, along with the history, capacity, and layout that stayed constant no matter what the marquee said.
Quick Answer
The venue at 909 Lake Shore Boulevard West in Toronto has had four official names since opening in 1995: Molson Amphitheatre (1995–2009), Molson Canadian Amphitheatre (2010–2017), Budweiser Stage (2017–2025), and RBC Amphitheatre (October 2025–present). All four names describe the exact same building, stage, and grounds — only the sponsor changed.
All Names of Budweiser Stage: The Complete Timeline
1. Molson Amphitheatre (May 1995 – 2009): The venue’s original name, tied to Molson Breweries, from its opening night with Bryan Adams on May 18, 1995. This is the name most closely associated with the venue’s first fifteen years and is still what many longtime Torontonians call it out of habit.
2. Molson Canadian Amphitheatre (2010 – 2017): A refresh of the same Molson naming-rights deal, rebranded around the Molson Canadian beer label rather than the parent Molson brand.
3. Budweiser Stage (2017 – 2025): Announced January 6, 2017, when Labatt Breweries of Canada (through Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Budweiser brand) took over the naming-rights partnership with Live Nation, ending 22 years of Molson branding.
4. RBC Amphitheatre (October 28, 2025 – present): The current and most recent name, following a new naming-rights partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada. This is the name that appears on current tickets, maps, and the venue’s own website today.
Outside of these four sponsor names, the venue has never had a separate unofficial or nickname era the way some amphitheaters do — fans and media have simply carried forward whichever brand name was current, which is why searches for the venue’s history so often turn up multiple names at once.
Why the Venue Keeps Changing Names
Every rename has come from the same source: a corporate naming-rights deal with Live Nation, the company that has operated the venue throughout its history. This is standard practice at major North American amphitheaters — the physical venue, stage, and seating never change, only which brand pays for the marquee. In this case the sponsors have moved from Molson (beer) to Budweiser/Labatt (beer) to RBC (banking), each deal typically running several years before renewal or replacement.
Because the underlying venue, address, and operator have stayed constant since 1995, all four names refer to identical seating, capacity, and grounds — there’s no functional difference in the concert experience based on which name was on the sign that season.
A Waterfront Stage Built for the Masses
Constructed on the site of the older Ontario Place Forum, which was demolished over the winter of 1994–95, the venue was designed by architect Michael Moxam to maximize both sightlines and crowd volume. It cost roughly CA$15 million to build — equivalent to around CA$28 million today — and opened with two sold-out Bryan Adams shows on May 18, 1995.
The tiered layout places reserved covered seating directly beneath a soaring 60-foot roof, with additional open-air seats fanning out beyond, and a sprawling grass bowl at the back that has long been the affordable, casual option for fans. The waterfront setting adds a distinctive atmosphere: Lake Ontario breezes, skyline views, and open-hillside acoustics that have made the venue a seasonal pilgrimage for Toronto music lovers across all four of its names.
Capacity, Layout & Season at a Glance
Capacity has held steady at approximately 16,100 across every naming era: about 5,500 covered pavilion seats, 3,500 open-air reserved seats, and 7,000 grass-bowl lawn spots. As an outdoor-only amphitheater, the venue operates seasonally from May through October and has no winter programming in its current form.
Over its three decades, the venue has hosted an extraordinary range of artists — from Van Halen and Rush to Drake, Eminem, The Weeknd, and Depeche Mode — and by 2024 had welcomed more than eight million patrons through its gates, regardless of which name was on the tickets that year.
Visiting Today: Now Called RBC Amphitheatre
If you’re planning a show at the venue right now, look for it under its current name, RBC Amphitheatre — that’s the name on today’s tickets, seating maps, and box office. For current show schedules, ticket pricing tiers, and parking or bag-policy details, the official RBC Amphitheatre website is the authoritative source, since prices and policies can shift season to season.
A major reconstruction is also planned: the venue is expected to close after the 2027 concert season, sit dark through 2028, reopen for the 2029 season, and debut as a full year-round facility by summer 2030 — with expanded outdoor capacity of around 20,000 and a covered winter configuration seating roughly 9,000. That rebuild will turn what has always been a purely seasonal amphitheater into one of Canada’s most versatile large-scale entertainment venues, likely under a fifth name down the road.
Budweiser Stage naming history FAQs
What are all the names Budweiser Stage has had?
In order: Molson Amphitheatre (1995–2009), Molson Canadian Amphitheatre (2010–2017), Budweiser Stage (2017–2025), and RBC Amphitheatre (October 2025–present). All four names refer to the same venue at 909 Lake Shore Boulevard West in Toronto.
Why does the venue keep changing its name?
Each rename reflects a new corporate naming-rights deal with operator Live Nation. The physical venue never changes — only the paying sponsor, which has moved from Molson to Budweiser/Labatt to RBC.
What is Budweiser Stage called now?
As of October 28, 2025, the venue is called RBC Amphitheatre, following a new partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada. The Budweiser Stage name was used from 2017 through October 2025.
What is the seating capacity of the venue?
Approximately 16,100 people, split across about 5,500 covered pavilion seats, 3,500 open-air reserved seats, and a grass bowl for around 7,000 lawn ticketholders. This capacity has been consistent across all four of its names.
When is the venue open during the year?
As an outdoor amphitheater, it operates seasonally from May through October, with no winter programming due to its open-air configuration — though that is expected to change once its planned year-round rebuild is complete by 2030.
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