HECFI MOAR!

I meant to blog about this Spec article last week, about HECFI needing more money from the city to run Copps Coliseum, Hamilton Place and the like. Obviously privatization is an option, but in this bad economy (especially in the US where concert decisions are made) who would want to take over Copps (Hamilton Place might be easier).

It mentions in the article that November and December will be weak months for Copps. In the last HECFI email I received only the Sheepdogs plus Guns N Roses are booked for Copps so excluding Bulldogs games, that's a really dead period. Where's the Transiberian Orchestra dates of past years.

Obviously subsidizing those venues is worth some money, as attendees spend a lot of money downtown. How much subsidy should be spent? Is the concert scene going to be soft for several years?Could private operators cut costs while still bringing in events? Paying a big subsidy might be worth it to a private operator if the overall costs go down. I fully expect council to dither though and HECFI to continue to lose big money for years.