[MikeS]

Not to get too excited about this yet, but I'll let you read for yourself:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.canoe.ca/JamRollingStones/may15_stones-can.html">http://www.canoe.ca/JamRollingStones/ma ... s-can.html</a><!-- m -->

But for those of you who don't want to read the entire article, here's the IMPORTANT PART:

"Reports indicate the various levels of government would have to come up with the estimated price tag of $11 million to hold such an event, which is being planned for either July 29 or 30.

Although the free-admission concert would come with a high cost, Toronto MP Dennis Mills said the show could attract 500,000 to 800,000 people or more. It would also be televised and would be sure to attract global publicity.

He said the TRAGICALLY HIP, the Barenaked Ladies and Diana Krall are possible participants."

M.

[hipkid33]

Sounds sweet!

[beanmedic]

that would be so great

[mrlayance]

That would be amazing, why can't it be when I am going to be in TO

[jen]

That would be way to good to be true then, Lance :wink:

[HIPpyLettuce]

and what better place to hold such an incredible event than the Center of The Universe!

[mats]

You got that brother. I feel some more spite comin' my way. :roll:

I think it's funny that the Hip would do a similar show to promote T.O. to the rest of the world, when nobody in the rest of the world knows who the Hip are. They should do a paid show, and give the money to local retailers who suffered from the ordeal. Just a thought.

Either way, I have a good feeling about this happening.

Cheers,
Mats.

[taitgr590]

I think I would pay $100 to help relieve the debt (assuming that the Hip and BNL play too)

[Beat]

and what better place to hold such an incredible event than the Center of The Universe!

I agree....Amsterdam would be the perfect place for such an event

[farmerdan]

not sure of how accurate this is, but i heard from a friend that the feds arent going to spend the money to put the concert together

anyone else hear anything??

[MikeS]

Yup, that's the story...here's a clip from the Toronto Star yesterday:

PM won't back Stones concert
Shrugs off request for $10 million

Other ways sought to aid GTA, he says

LES WHITTINGTON
OTTAWA BUREAU

OTTAWA—Jean Chrétien says he is not about to approve $10 million for a Rolling Stones concert to promote Toronto's SARS-free status.

"For me, I'm not deciding that," Chrétien said yesterday when asked if he would respond to a request for funding to clear the way for an admission-free Stones show in Toronto.

"I read that on the news," he shrugged.

Toronto Liberal MP Dennis Mills (Toronto-Danforth) had been looking to the Prime Minister to open Ottawa's purse strings to enable the Rolling Stones concert to take place.

But Mills said the Stones could only do it if promoters of the concert could put $10 million in funding in place by late Tuesday night.

That deadline passed without word of support from the federal cabinet.

But Chrétien said Ottawa is talking with the province and GTA authorities to find other ways to improve the city's image in the wake of the SARS crisis.

Instead of backing a Rolling Stones concert, Chrétien said, "We are working with the municipal government and the provincial government to do things to reassure the people that you can go to Toronto."

While Industry Minister Allan Rock is considering using some of the $10 million in SARS aid Ottawa has already committed to help Toronto revive the tourism business, no decision has been made, sources said.

Chrétien also said the federal government has tried to demonstrate symbolic support.

"We had a cabinet there," he said, referring to the special cabinet meeting in downtown Toronto in late April.

But New Democrat Leader Jack Layton said yesterday that the federal government has not done enough to help Toronto bounce back from the SARS outbreak.

"It's as if they haven't taken it seriously," Layton said.

He said he would have approved of support for the Stones concert because it would have provided the kind of international publicity that would have helped bring tourists back to Toronto.

---

With time definitely not on their side (sorry, couldn't resist), it's looking more and more like this isn't going to happen after all...

:x

M.

[mats]

I think our "wonderful" prime minister just did us a favour. If the Stones don't do a show, I think that's all the more reason for The Hip to do one.
Funding for a Hip show can surely be justified and you know the boys... they'll, once again, come to our rescue. :thumb:
Mats.
P.S. Remember, the original article did not refer to The Stones, BNL, The Hip and Dianna Krall as ONE show. The article was referring to all of them doing seprate individual shows. You see, there is still hope yet.

[farmerdan]

just watching the news and they said that 5 mil is being put up by the private sector (whatever that means) and that the local or OPP would handle security, leaving around 5 million needed from the feds

[MikeS]

Just an update on the Stones (and possible Hip?) show that I'm piecing together from a couple of local media sources...

In one of the Toronto papers yesterday (I believe it was the Sun, but I can't find the CANOE link), they stated that there is still hope that the show will happen but with the following changes:

- it would take place at the Toronto port lands, and NOT Downsview...
- it would cost in the neighbourhood of $5M (already raised privately), PROVIDED tickets were sold at $10 per person, thereby making up the other half of the previously suggested $10M number...

Dennis Mills (who got the whole ball rolling on this) was quoted on the weekend in the Star as saying "This concert is going to happen come hell or high water..."...

With the city now officially back in the WHO's bad books, I wouldn't be building an ark anytime soon...

Other than the original CP story, I haven't read any further info on the possibility of the Hip or others doing anything either...It's looking more and more like this will all turn out to be nothing more than one big tease...



M.

[Ryan2]

STONES TO THE RESCUE?
The Stones still may come to the rescue of Toronto's hard hit entertainment industry. Liberal MP Dennis Mills, the man behind the plan to bring the veteran rockers to T.O. for a free show, says that they're just 1 million bucks short of 7 million in private-sector money needed to bring the band to Toronto. Two weeks ago a deadline was set, but now another one is in place - midnight Monday. Now, we'll just have to wait and see.
from muchmoremusic.com

Doesnt mean the hip will open for them but im sure if the oppurtunity was there the hip would be there possibly