Key Brand Entertainment Acquires Live Nation's North American Theatrical Company for US$90.4 Million

On January 24, 2008, Key Brand Entertainment, Inc. announced that it had acquired Live Nation, Inc.'s North American Theatrical Company. As part of the acquisition, Key Brand will assume control of Broadway Across America, the premier promoter and producer of live theatrical events in the United States, and its Broadway Across Canada subsidiary and the Canon and Panasonic Theatres in downtown Toronto. Key Brand is a private investment company dedicated exclusively to the development, production and distribution of live theatre and is led by British theatre producer John Gore, who serves as the CEO, and entertainment industry veteran, Chairman Thomas B. McGrath. Key Brand has also partnered with Dancap Productions, a large Canadian theatre producer and Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc., a major Japanese television network.

David B. Stern led Key Brand's legal transaction team that included, in the US, Frederick W. Gartside, Kenneth C. Bovard, Michael S. Sherman, Richard Sweet and Jonathan Staffeldt of Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro LLP.

Key Brand was advised on the Canadian aspects of this transaction by a team from Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP led by Barbara Miller and that included Jamie Pennell (corporate/M&A), Douglas New (competition and Investment Canada), Paul King and Dan Law (real estate), and Mitchell Thaw (tax).

Live Nation was advised by General Counsel Michael Rowles, and externally by Michael Rogers of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. Live Nation (Canada) was advised by Goodmans LLP with a team led by Susan Garvie and including Tom Macdonald (real estate) and Jana Steele (pensions/benefits).

The lending syndicate led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. was advised in the US by Terrence L. Dugan and Matthew E. Schernecke of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and in Canada by Nathan Cheifetz and Michelle Schwartzberg together with Ted Perlmutter and Lauren Temple (real estate) of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.