Bob Mackin
British Columbians may never know if David Eby’s NDP government gave Taylor Swift’s promoter a sweetheart deal in 2024 to bring the final three shows of the Eras Tour to B.C. Place Stadium.
But theBreaker will get to see more clauses from the censored contract with Messina Touring Group Canada LP that B.C. Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) fought to keep secret.
Taylor Swift B.C. Place concert ad (BC Place/Swift)
In a Nov. 10 ruling, adjudicator Lisa Siew of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) said PavCo persuaded her that competing concert promotion companies would be interested in learning what Messina (an affiliate of AEG Presents LLC) and PavCo agreed for licence and facility fees, rent charges, insurance coverage, complimentary ticket and suite allowances and revenue allocation.
However, Siew did not agree with PavCo that disclosure of the rest of the contract would harm business relationships, future business or cause undue financial loss or gain.
Siew also found that disclosure of the rest of the contract would not harm third-party business interests or be an unreasonable invasion of third-party personal privacy.
She ordered the rest of the contract be disclosed by Dec. 23.
Record ticket sales
Swift’s 149-show, 21-country Eras Tour grossed a record US$2 billion-plus. Attendance for the Dec. 6-8, 2024 B.C. Place shows was a combined 178,042. Messina’s contract also covered the Dec. 1-5 move-in and Dec. 8-10 move-out.
PavCo told the OIPC that it was already in negotiations for four concerts in 2028. The artists and promoters were not identified.
History
PavCo released a version of the contract in 2025 to theBreaker under the freedom of information law, but censored four full clauses and parts of 18 other clauses.
OIPC adjudicators had previously ordered full disclosure of negotiated contracts for sporting events, such as the Vancouver Whitecaps, NHL Heritage Classic and the FIFA World Cup.
“I note that this is the first OIPC order that has considered whether s. 17(1) [harms to financial or economic interests of a public body] applies to a contract between PavCo and another party regarding a concert at B.C. Place Stadium, rather than a sports-related event,” Siew wrote.
PavCo had previously disclosed concert contracts, including for Paul McCartney’s 2012 “On the Run Tour” concert.
