The new Moncton events centre will open in September, and there have already been several shows announced.
We wondered how decisions are made, on what performers are booked to play?
General Manager for SMG Canada Nick DeLuco says it isn’t difficult to attract acts when a new events centre is built.
“When it comes to opening buildings, people are always excited to be the first, so it’s a little different. Most times it is dealing with Promoters, not artists. The first show always brings a lot of people around.”
DeLuco says negotiations to bring Keith Urban lasted around a year, but he adds that it normally doesn’t take that long.
“We’re trying to put as much out there as we possibly can right now, including Country, Rock, Classic Rock, and kids shows, just to see what the market can bear and what makes sense down the road for Promoters financially and for the benefit of the building.”
DeLuco loves to hear suggestions from the public on who they’d like to see booked to perform at the centre, but he adds, the fans shouldn’t expect any shows from artists like Taylor Swift or Ed Sheerhan in the near future, ” That would rarely happen. Maybe is there is something that tugs at the hearts strings or if it is a fundraiser, but those are artists that are making tens of millions of dollars a show. To put it in a building that is under 20, 000 or even stadium size of 50, 000, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
