Posted 21 August 2006 - 06:39 AM
Top names take a pass on Victoria
Arena's big-act bookings are down but things should pick up in the fall
Mike Devlin
Times Colonist
Monday, August 21, 2006
If they built it, we were told, top-tier musical acts would come.
And they did -- for a while.
But concert activity at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Victoria's taxpayer-funded $30-million arena, has come to a halt, just 17 months after it opened its doors. The last concert at the Blanshard Street arena was a June 23 appearance by Boston metal act Godsmack. The event drew roughly 2,500 fans to the arena, whose capacity for concerts is 7,000.
Help doesn't appear to be on the way, either. Up next on the calendar is a concert Oct. 7 by pop-rap act Black Eyed Peas. And then ... nothing, concert-wise.
The lack of activity at the arena is perplexing, said Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe.
"I am hearing from some that there are not as many concerts as they would wish," he said. "Obviously, it is up to the operator to bring concerts into town, but we did build the facility so that we could have entertainment in the city."
The venue's developer and operator, RG Properties, is not to blame, according to Paul Haagenson, regional vice-president for concert promoter House of Blues Concerts Canada. Haagenson's firm books the majority of acts at the arena, and he's happy with the pace of activity so far.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I think it's been run well and managed well. (RG Properties) are doing a great job. You're looking at a blip in time that's not representative of how it will be."
Last year, Rod Stewart, Avril Lavigne and Black Eyed Peas performed locally for the first time, making 2005 a banner year by Haagenson's count. "(The arena) attracted tonnes of acts that otherwise never would have come to the market," he said.
The second year has seen considerably less activity, said Dave Dakers, executive director of facilities for Vancouver-based RG Properties. "Last summer, the business was incredible."
Haagenson said fans who expect Victoria to attract acts such as U2 and the Rolling Stones, which make regular stops in Vancouver, have "unrealistic expectations." The Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre's capacity is small compared to the 18,000-seat Vancouver venues Pacific Coliseum and GM Place.
Still, many are left wondering why incoming Vancouver performers Elton John, Cirque du Soleil, James Blunt and the Dixie Chicks -- whose current tour includes 16 dates in Canada -- passed up what could have been a very successful Victoria stop.
In 2005, the arena hosted 26 events from March to December, not including hockey games. The 26 included 18 concerts. The schedule for 2006, still subject to change, has 19 events.
That's not to say the arena has been a failure. Kelowna's Prospera Place, an arena similar in size to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, has no events on deck. Its last event was a June 15 concert by toddler-friendly Dora the Explorer.
"We have received more revenue from the facility than we had projected, so we're pleased with the way it has been going," Lowe said, adding that more than 500,000 patrons attended events during the venue's first six months of operation.
A decrease in the number of events does mean a loss of potential revenue for the City of Victoria. Under an agreement with RG Properties, the city receives as much as $2 "for every bum that is in the seat," Lowe said.
The value of the arena's luxury suites, priced between $42,500 and $75,000 annually, is another concern for some.
In its contract, RG Properties makes no promises to suite-holders as to the "nature, quality and frequency" of events at the arena, outside of hockey games.
The lack of activity is nonetheless disconcerting for suite-holders like Michael Mulligan, a partner in local criminal law firm Mulligan, Tam, and Pearson, which leases one of the arena's luxury suites. "We've noticed it. Certainly, we've enjoyed it thus far. But I hope it picks up in the fall."
Things will pick up in the fall, Dakers promises. And when it does, fans will be happy with what they see, on stage and off.
"I'm really impressed with the work that has been done in the past couple of months," said arena inspector Sierd Hortsing, city manager of facilities, planning and projects.
"The first year we were overwhelmed with good concerts," Lowe said.
"It was a great start for concert-goers in the city, but yes, we're a little bit disappointed that there are no concerts in the next few months. We hope that they will be able to bring more shows into town."
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2006
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009
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