Labatt USA is raising a glass to a decade of business in Downtown Buffalo.
The city has declared July 12, 2017 "Labatt Blue Day" and July 14-16 "Labatt Blue Weekend" in the Queen City. The company moved its headquarters from Connecticut to Fountain Plaza in Buffalo's central business district on July 12, 2007.
Since then, Labatt says it has added dozens of jobs, growing employment by 40 percent over the past three years alone. Its Buffalo headquarters is now home to 58 workers.
And the Canadian-born company, which imports Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light from its native land, says this is just the beginning. Design work is underway on the John Labatt Project on Perry Street near KeyBank Center. Labatt is teaming up with Pegula Sports and Entertainment to create a restaurant and pilot brewery where customers can taste new beer being developed for the company. Labatt USA's headquarters will also relocate to the building. Construction is set to begin in early 2018.
As part of festivities around the city this weekend, Labatt USA plans to surprise people with prizes, including discounted rides for Uber.
