Cogeco

Press release details

WELCOME TO THE “AMPHITHÉÂTRE COGECO”

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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WELCOME TO THE “AMPHITHÉÂTRE COGECO”
Trois-Rivières, December 17, 2013 Yves Lévesque, Mayor of Trois-Rivières, and Daniel
Cournoyer, member of the Board of the Corporation de l’amphithéâtre de Trois-Rivières (“the
Corporation”), announced today the reaching of an agreement with Cogeco Inc. (TSX: CGO)
(“COGECO”), whereby the Trois-Rivières amphitheatre, which is currently under
construction, will be known as the Amphithéâtre Cogeco.” The agreement, valid for a five-
year period from the scheduled opening of the amphitheatre in the spring of 2015, includes
three optional five-year extensions, which could bring the duration of the agreement to 20
years.
“Cogeco is paving the way for all stakeholders in the private sector who wish to participate in
the great project that is the Amphithéâtre Cogeco,” stated Mr. Cournoyer. “Following the
commitment made by the two senior governments in 2009, this is a wonderful example of a
major private company contributing to the cultural life of Trois-Rivières and the Mauricie
region.”
For Mayor Lévesque, who had promised “a name before the Holidays,” today’s
announcement is a logical development. “The Corporation de l’amphithéâtre and Cogeco
are, for all intents and purposes, natural partners, with the amphitheatre being the biggest
project in the Mauricie region in recent history, and Cogeco being the largest company from
Trois-Rivières. Between its radio stations, its cable distribution service, TVCogeco and its
reg i on al he a d of fi ce on Boulevard Saint-Jean, Cogeco is a company that is very active in our
area,” st at ed M ayor Lévesque.
For COGECO, this agreement is highly symbolic and has very special meaning, since Trois-
Rivières is the company’s birthplace. “We are delighted that the amphitheatre will bear the
Cogeco name,” stated Louise St-Pierre, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cogeco
Cable Canada. “Cogeco was founded more than 56 years ago in Trois-Rivières, where it
blossomed and developed into the internationally recognized company it is today. Today,
Cogeco Cable Canada is one of the largest employers in the region, and we are very proud
to be the main sponsor of the Amphithéâtre Cogeco, as it will serve as a building block
support ing the development of the entir e M aur i c i e r egio n.
Richard Lachance, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cogeco Diffusion, added: “With
our two radio stations in Trois-Rivières as well as our other stations across Québec, Cogeco
Diffusion will be a proud supporter of the Amphithéâtre Cogeco. Our teams at 106.9FM and
Rythme Mauricie 100.1 have always been very involved within our region and this
announcement will inspire us to continue to contribute to the cultural development of the
Greater Trois-Rivières area.”
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The amphitheatre represents a $49.5-million investment, with the governments of Québec
and Ottawa contributing $26 million in equal shares. The amphitheatre is scheduled to open
in the spring o f 2015.
ABOUT THE CITY OF TROIS-RIVIÈRES
Founded in 1634, Trois-Rivières has a population of 133,000 inhabitants. It is the second-oldest
city in Québec and the ninth most populous in the province. The current cit y was created from a
munic ipal merger in the f all of 2001, and its first mayor, Mr. Lévesque, is s till in office. Steepe d in
history and culture, this city is an important hub for tourism, conferences, education, and
healthcare and boasts a university, port and airport. Trois-Rivières is positioning itself for the
future with projects enhancing its development, such as a riverside amphitheatre, which will be
able to accommodate 9,000 people, with 3,500 covered seats.
ABOUT THE CORPORATION DE L’AMPHITHÉÂTRE DE TROIS RIVIÈRES
The amphitheatre project, whose development began in 2000, is located on one of the most
beautiful sites in Québec, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and the Saint-Laurent rivers.
The cit y purchased th e propert y in 2007 an d, two year s later, contr ibutions from the higher leve ls
of governm ent ($26 million) provided the su pport needed f or the project to m ove forward. In Ma y
2010, the Corporation de l’amphithéâtre was created. Its key objectives were, and remain, the
implementation of a management, programming, and operation structure, as well as solicitation
for programming, marketing and public relations activities for the amphitheatre.
ABOUT COGECO INC.
COGECO (www.cogeco.ca) is a diversified communications corporation. Through its Cogeco
Cable subsidiary, COGECO provides to its residential and business customers Analogue and
Digital T elevision, H igh Speed Internet («HS I») and T elephony serv ices. Cogeco Cable operates
in Canada un der th e Coge co Cabl e bran d nam e in Quebec and O ntario, and in t he Unite d States
through its subsidiary, Atlantic Broadband in Western Pennsylvania, Southern Florida,
Maryland/Delaware and South Carolina. Through its subsidiaries, Cogeco Data Services and
PEER1 Hosting, Cogeco Cable provides to its commercial customers, a suite of IT hosting,
information and communications technology services (Data Centre, Co-location, Managed
Hosting, Cloud Infrastructure and Connectivity) with 20 data centres, extensive fibre networks in
Montreal and Toronto as well as points-of-presence in North America and Europe. Through its
subsidiary, Cogeco Diffusion, COGECO owns and operates 13 radio stations across most of
Quebec with com plementary radio f ormats serving a wide ran ge of audiences as well as Cogec o
News, its news agency. Cogeco Diffusion also operates Métromedia, an advertising
representa tio n ho us e s peci ali zed i n the public transit sector that hol ds ex c lusi ve a dvert is in g rig hts
in the Province of Quebec where it also represents its business partners who are active across
other Canadian markets. COGECO’s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock
Exchange (TSX: CGO). The subordinate voting shares of Cogeco Cable are also listed on the
Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).
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Information : François Roy, Communications Director, City of Trois-Rivières
Tel.: (819) 372-4602
Marilyne Cossette, Communications Officer, Cogeco Cable Canada
Tel.: (819) 379-2443, extension 3640
Marina Brzeski, Director, Corporate Communications, Cogeco Cable Inc.
Tel.: (514) 764-4613