Mayor Andrea Horwath, city councillors, their families, and over 50 city staff attended Tuesday evening’s private invitation-only concert performance by Earth, Wind & Fire at Hamilton’s newly renovated arena.
“I had a conversation with the City Manager,” Mayor Horwath said. “She assured me that she did the legwork in terms of the detailed policies and assured me that as we’re a sponsor of the event, that’s something that is a consideration in terms of the characterization of the items.”
Horwath stated the City of Hamilton was a sponsor of the event, and this meant attendance complied with Council’s Code of Conduct.
The City of Hamilton has not disclosed details of this sponsorship.
City Manager Marnie Cluckie said ‘well over 50’ senior staff members attended the concert, that it was a work function for staff, and all are required to complete a feedback form outlining suggestions for improvements to the facility and to city processes that support the entertainment district. Cluckie attended the event.
“This was done as a work engagement in terms of testing being completed in the facility,” Cluckie said. “We also used it as an opportunity to assess as we were walking toward it, what things might needed to be in place for the opening.”
“The senior leadership team in human resources reviewed and approved it.”
A request for the exact number of staff involved has been filed, as well as a request for copies of the reviews and approvals to attend.
Horwath agreed, saying senior staff and council members provided feedback to the operators.
“The idea was that people feedback,” Mayor Horwath said. “What did you find? What was your experience? What were the goods? Are there things that we can work on? It’s like a dry run that a restaurant might do.”
“In this case, the whole community was the family and friends, which is, I think, lovely.”
The November 18 concert was billed as a soft launch for the newly renovated facility formerly known as Copps Coliseum and now called the TD Coliseum, following an over $280-million private sector renovation that followed last term’s City Council granting HUPEG a 49-year lease to upgrade, maintain, and operate Hamilton’s three municipal entertainment facilities: the arena, the Hamilton Convention Centre, and the Hamilton Place concert hall.
Councillors state they were offered a ticket for themselves, companions, and they could distribute up to 20 more tickets at their discretion.
Council’s Code of Conduct prohibits accepting “any fee, gift or benefit that is connected, directly or indirectly, with the performance of the Member’s duties … except such gifts or benefits that can be considered incidental mementos or tokens of appreciation.”
Hamilton Integrity Commissioner David Boghosian ultimately interprets the gift policy, something he may be asked to do if a code of conduct complaint is filed.
Council: Who Attended, Who Did Not
Ward 1, Maureen Wilson: did not attend.
“I didn’t take the tickets,” Wilson said. “I didn’t want the tickets.”
She said she transferred her allocation of tickets to the music departments at Westdale and St. Mary’s secondary schools.
Ward 2, Cameron Kroetsch: did not attend.
“I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to benefit from the tickets directly,” Kroetsch said. He said that he transferred his allocation of tickets to the Hamilton Music Collective.
Ward 3, Nrinder Nann: attended.
Nann said she determined accepting the tickets were permitted “by reading it that it was not a ticketed purchased event, and that the City of Hamilton is one of the corporate sponsors of the Coliseum.”
“I was testing the sound,” Nann said. “I provided feedback on the fact that my ticket didn’t allow me to get in initially.”
“So I was there in a testing facility and enjoyed an opportunity to listen to a legacy band.”
Ward 4, Tammy Hwang: awaiting response.
During Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Hwang inferred she attended, saying she held a town hall “before the TD Coliseum VIP event.”
Ward 5, Matt Francis: attended.
During Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Francis said he enjoyed the concert. “I had a great time exploring the new digs” and said he had a “touching moment during a slow song with Councillor Tadeson.”
“I explored every corner … [it] is truly on-par with world class venues that are out there,” he said. “This is truly a world class venue.”
In an email response, provided before this story was published, Francis wrote, “This came through our Hamilton tourism development corporation. The idea was to work out the kinks in the arena so when it’s on the world stage, things are running smoothly and efficiently and Hamilton gets a good reputation. It would be an embarrassment if Paul McCartney arrived and the speakers are cracking, lights don’t work, toilets don’t flush and the concession stands do not operate properly. The optics would be horrible and we wouldn’t be able to attract future talent or clients.”
He wrote that he distributed his ticket allocation to “staff and volunteers.”
Correction note: the original version incorrectedly stated Francis had not responded to an email question. He had. The error is regretted.
Ward 6, Tom Jackson: attended.
“Yes, I did attend,” Jackson said. His wife attended with him. “It was just basically an opening preview of the new arena, a soft opening type of event, and that’s why I attended.”
The Hamilton Tourism Development Corporation said the tickets had no monetary value, Jackson said, noting the “actual ticket showed zero price.”
He said he distributed his ticket allocation “to volunteers in the community.”
Ward 7, Esther Pauls: awaiting response.
Ward 8, Rob Cooper: did not attend.
Cooper said that his constituency office distributed tickets to residents who volunteer in the community.
Ward 9, Brad Clark: did not attend.
“I chose not to attend,” Clark wrote in response to written questions. Awaiting response regarding if he distributed tickets.
Ward 10, Jeff Beattie: did not attend.
Beattie said his distributed his allocation of tickets to community volunteers.
Ward 11, Mark Tadeson: attended.
“Last night, I too attended the Earth Wind and Fire concert at TD Coliseum, had a great moment with Councillor Matt Francis during a nice slow song from them,” Tadeson said during Wednesday’s Council meeting. “We really were touched. And for the first time, I just want to say this, for the first time in a few years as I looked out and took in the music from the stands at this arena.”
“I saw joy and excitement and a buzz in the air. It was amazing. My family that came in from Toronto loved the experience and are already making plans to return to Hamilton to take in more events at TD Coliseum. I just wanna thank HUPEG, I wanna thank the Oakview Group for making this happen, and I want to thank Council. It was such a great event.”
In a written response to emailed questions, Tadeson wrote, ” I received and distributed tickets to my office staff and friends. The friends are all people that I would normally socialize with and attend entertainment venues throughout and beyond our City. The staff are my immediate office staff. I received the tickets from the city through my work cell phone and sent tickets to recipient’s cell phones.”
“It would be my take that the Tickets are incidental because I did not ask for the tickets. I was contacted through email by a city general manager’s office and offered tickets at no cost for EWF for the purpose of attending a ‘trial concert’ that would allow the operators of the arena the opportunity to review their operational procedures ( entry, concession stands efficiency, toilets flushing, security, exits point strategy ) and ensure all was functioning properly and efficiently prior to the ‘official opening’ concert this coming Friday.”
“It was a great night, I sensed there was lots of energy and a positive buzz of excitement. I was glad to attend and help provide conditions for the operators to evaluate their operational readiness to host future events. I think the event went off well for an inaugural re-opening.”
Ward 12, Craig Cassar: attended.
Cassar wrote in an email response that he “attended with members of my immediate family.”
He distributed his ticket allocation “with community volunteers and friends.”
He wrote that “the operators of TD Coliseum are important partners of the City operating a City asset. Councillors were among the many thousands of Hamiltonians they invited for a dry run ahead of their grand opening.”
Ward 13, Alex Wilson: did not attend.
“I did not acknowledge, respond, reply, engage,” Wilson said.
Ward 14, Mike Spadafora: did not attend.
Spadafora wrote in an email response, “I did not attend the concert.”
Awaiting response regarding if he distributed tickets.
Ward 15, Ted McMeekin: did not attend.
“No, I did not go,” McMeekin said. His constituency staff distributed the 20 tickets allocated to his office.
Production Details
v. 2.1.0
Published: November 20, 2025
Last updated: November 20, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
v. 1.0.1 added Cassar response (4:35pm, Nov. 20)
v. 2.0.0 CORRECTION: Councillor Matt Francis responded by email before publication of the first version. The email response has been added to the Council meeting statements. (5:15 pm, Nov. 20)
v. 2.1.0 added Tadeson response. (5:35 p.m., Nov 20)
Correction, November 20, 2025 17:14: Councillor Matt Francis responded by email before publication of the first version. The email response has been added to the Council meeting statements.