He has been rumoured for years, but this time it's for real: Bryan Adams will headline the annual New Year's Eve concert in Niagara Falls.

The Canadian rock icon plays the free outdoor event at Queen Victoria Park for the first time Dec. 31 for a show that includes a makeup date by Walk Off the Earth.

Booked for last year's show, Walk Off the Earth was forced to cancel their performance when band member Mike Taylor died just two days before New Year's Eve. The Juno-winning group will do this year's show as a tribute to him.

Adams, who played Meridian Centre in St. Catharines Feb. 1, will bring nearly four decades of hits to go with more than 42 million albums sold worldwide.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati calls it a major score for the New Year's Eve concert.

"He's the quintessential, iconic Canadian performer who's been around forever," he said. "I'm excited. We've talked about it in the past and finally it worked out."

Diodati credited Serge Felicetti, the city's director of business development, with finally nabbing Adams for the big show.

"He's been persistent on that one. Bryan's a busy, popular guy, and it's not cheap to get that kind of talent.

"I find everything is timing. The right timing makes things so easy, so effortless. And the wrong timing is like pushing rope. This time it just naturally came together."

With the big headliner announced — earlier than most years, alas — Diodati is now waiting on the show's other major component: National TV coverage.

For the past two years, CBC has done a live New Year's Eve show utilizing several locations across Canada, including Niagara Falls. But Diodati felt the city was shortchanged with last year's brief coverage. At one point, with Burton Cummings on stage in Niagara Falls, CBC cut to a remote bar with an unknown band.

"We weren't happy," said Diodati, who says the city is having discussions with CBC to return this year with a different approach.

"We're talking about, if we were to do it, what it might look like," he said. "Because it's got to work for us, too.

"I think they recognize the fact that (they) could do things better. We'd love to work with CBC, it could be great, but we want this to be a better event."

Barring any network TV coverage, Diodati is still hoping to get the show livestreamed online, allowing people to watch it live on their computers, mobile phones or smart TVs.

"We're looking at our options," he said. "We haven't made that final decision yet, but it comes to down to exposure, quality of the show and the cost."

The free show will include two fireworks displays at 9:15 p.m. and midnight.

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John.Law@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1644 | @JohnLawMedia