P. E. I. Loses Out on FM Concert

[michelej1]

[Ha, all I can think about is Anne of Green Gables, sigh]

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/article/594430
Times & Transcript

Summerside scuttles big summer concert
Published Friday March 6th, 2009

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - The city of Summerside, P.E.I., says it has lost out on a major summer concert because the provincial government has decided to fund another event instead.


Chief administrative officer Terry Murphy says the city had a deal to bring Fleetwood Mac, John Fogerty and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Summerside in July.

But the province's decision to fund a country concert in Cavendish has scuttled that plan.

Murphy says they had developed a good relationship with the promoters and had set July 25 as the date for the Summerside concert.

He says they're "deeply disappointed" that their package wasn't accepted by the province.

The government opted to put its $200,000 contribution behind a country concert featuring Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire in Cavendish this summer.

[michelej1]

Journal Pioneer, 3/6/09

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index....=228910&sc=118

Province needs to do more for west: Smith
MIKE CARSON
Transcontinental Media


SUMMERSIDE – Summerside has the venue, it has the volunteers, it has the local political will but what it doesn’t have is the support of the provincial government in making the area a draw for major events, says the president of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce.
“Summerside has now developed itself into an event type of centre,” said chamber president Rudy Smith. “Bringing concerts to Credit Union Place is an area the city has identified to be successful.”
The city had a plan in place to bring a major concert to the city this summer. Fleetwood Mac, John Fogerty and Lynyrd Skynyrd had been arranged to perform in the city on July 25.
The city needed the Province on board with its $200,000 contribution to help bring the event home. The Province opted to put its support behind a country concert featuring Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire at Cavendish instead.

With the loss of provincial financial support and the delays surrounding the time it took the Province to decide on which major act to fund, the Summerside bid fell by the wayside.

Major concerts and events translate into large economic spinoffs for communities, revenue that can be used to improve services and establish an area as a draw for future events.

Smith said the participation of the provincial government in assisting communities in western P.E.I. is essential to attracting and successfully promoting major events.

“We definitely need the support of the Province to make it work but we’re not getting it,” the chamber president said.

[LukeA]

Kudos to the Prince Edward Island provincial government, giving delusional Summerside a reality check.