Britney-less and Madonna absent, Calgary has been missing out on some major concert acts, with some opting for Edmonton only rather than double-billing it.
And the uniquely shaped Saddledome is at least partly to blame for the bypasses, according to Calgary Flames president Ken King.
“We have, from time-to-time, seen an increase of missed opportunities to house concerts at the Pengrowth Saddledome due to weight restrictions,” King told Metro.
“It’s not the only issue facing us, but it’s increasingly happening more often,” he added.
While King says he would “obviously like to house these big shows,” the city wins some and loses some.
Tourism Calgary COO Aldon Wells agrees.
“It’s true some concerts could have chosen both cities … but the shape of the Saddledome or Rexall probably isn’t the only deciding factor,” he said, adding sometimes other factors such as seating capabilities or hotel availability can also have an impact.
Wells said while Calgary may have to go without popular acts Britney Spears or Madonna, who decided to skip Alberta all together, the city has had its fair share of big acts, too.
“In 2008, we had the Juno Awards, which was huge, and in 2009 we have the Tim Hortons Brier and the world ski championships,” he said.
Calgary has also rocked out to the Rolling Stones and U2.
“Calgary has a lot to offer as a city, not just a venue,” Wells added.
King is hoping the Flames will get a new venue in 2014 when the building’s current lease is up, something that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman publically endorsed when he was in Edmonton last week.
