Stadium would help us rock
By ROGER TAYLOR Business Columnist
Wed, Oct 6 - 7:20 AM
Harold MacKay is proof that a guy with a computer and a lot of chutzpah can have a big impact on a community.
For instance, the power promoter behind Power Promotional Events Inc. managed to convince Halifax regional council to lease the Commons to him this summer so he could put on a couple of concerts.
True to his word, the concerts were held. But the trouble is neither the Black Eyed Peas nor the country music concert made enough money to pay all the bills, according to MacKay.
Power was also the producer of the Paul McCartney and Kiss concerts on the Common the year before. Although he never acknowledged it, there were suggestions those events also failed to make money.
MacKay recently sent an email to unpaid suppliers to Power Promotional Events to inform them that his company wasn’t able to make ends meet and he had decided to shut the door and walk away from his remaining obligations.
His creditors are upset, to say the least, but nobody is betting MacKay won’t make another comeback.
MacKay developed a reputation as a promoter while he was still a vice-president with Moosehead Breweries. He pushed the so-called Halifax Grand Prix in downtown Halifax, which was sponsored by Moosehead. He is also credited with pushing the brewery to bring major junior hockey to the Maritimes with the introduction of the Halifax Mooseheads in 1994.
He is also said to have helped bring the former Granby Predateurs franchise to Sydney, where they are known as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
After he left Moosehead, MacKay went on to found his own brewery, Maritime Brewing Co., in Dartmouth, to brief success. But in 1999, the company was forced to declare bankruptcy. The brewing assets were eventually acquired by Sleeman Breweries Ltd., which still operate the facility in Burnside Park.
In 2005, MacKay founded the semi-professional Canadian Elite Hockey League, with emphasis on the rough stuff. The league only lasted one season.
It’s obvious that beer is in MacKay’s blood. Along with partners, he created a microbrewery, Keltic Brewing Co. Ltd., which operated the Mugsy McCeol’s Pub and Grillhouse in Truro, until it also closed shop recently.
Rather than reacting every year to what one promoter or another brings to the table, city council may now have an opportunity to develop a more thoughtful plan for future events. What’s the point of having a great recreational area in the middle of Halifax if the space is tied up with preparations for concerts that drag on for about a month at a time?
The failure of Power Promotional could mean there won’t be another concert held on the Common next summer. Besides, the precious green space will require much of the summer to recover from having the Canada Games speedskating oval erased.
Perhaps it is time to look at creating a permanent facility, such as a stadium, that could be used for both sporting events and concerts.
I remember singer Rod Stewart and others held successful concerts on the Garrison Grounds that were far less disruptive than the concerts on the Common. Perhaps some kind of permanent concert capability could be established there.
If there was seating and other facilities available as part of a stadium, it would cut the cost of hosting a concert. Cutting costs may be the difference between successful concerts, where everyone is paid what they’re owed, and failures, where the promoter walks away leaving local suppliers holding the bag.
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