Live Nation acquires downtown Toronto music venue The Opera House

Lead singer James Hetfield of Metallica plays at the Opera House, a small venue with a 950 person capacity, in Toronto, Tuesday November 29, 2016. Proceeds from the show will go to The Daily Bread Food Bank, an organization that helps combat hunger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch

Live Nation Canada has acquired The Opera House, a beloved music venue located in downtown Toronto near Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue.

In a statement, Athena Ellinas-Towers, general manager of The Opera House, said she is “honoured to have Live Nation Canada continue to bring the best in music, culture, and fan experiences to our historic venue for years to come.”

The Opera House first opened as a theatre in 1909, before transforming into a cinema and then a live music venue by the Ellinas family in 1989. The venue has hosted numerous high-profile acts, including Metallica, Nirvana, Eminem and the Foo Fighters.

The Ellinas family will continue to be involved in the venue’s daily operations.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster faced recent scrutiny for their handling of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which due to its unprecedented demand led to website malfunctions and disappointed fans late last year. In January, U.S. senators grilled the ticket giant, with one senator calling the North American ticketing system “a monopolistic mess.”