When rock legend Joe Walsh steps on stage Tuesday in Esquimalt, it will be the result of a unique arrangement a year in the making.
Bullen Park can accommodate up to 3,000 people. It has never been used as a concert venue, but it's expected to attract a big crowd for Walsh's local debut.
"The mandate for me was to utilize the space as best we can," said Todd Boothroyd, arena and events supervisor for the Township of Esquimalt. "So why not do a concert?"
To see his plan realized, Boothroyd enlisted the services of Matt Laundrie from High Tide Entertainment.
Esquimalt, in partnership with High Tide Entertainment, is covering a portion of the costs associated with the Walsh concert.
That's a first for concerts in the municipality, Boothroyd said, but he feels it's a step in the right direction for Esquimalt. "It's a new way of thinking. This concert has created a buzz. You can't put a price tag on that kind of thing."
Laundrie, who has been booking shows locally since 2002, says he has never worked so closely with a municipality to bring a concert to the stage. "I have never seen anything like it."
According to Scott Hartman, the municipality's director of parks and recreation services, the idea of a big-name concert has been on the back burner for years. Esquimalt has never been known as a concert hub, Hartman says, despite having three medium-sized venues - the Esquimalt Curling Club, Bullen Park, and the Archie Browning Sports Centre - in close proximity to each other.
"We've got to find new ways of doing business, new revenue streams. Events such as the concert are one example of that. It's a conscious business decision that benefits both the bottom line and the residents."
The municipality is using entertainment to "bring some positive press" to Esquimalt, Boothroyd says.
Last week, the municipality staged the Blue Bridge Comedy Festival, featuring Brent Butt, with a $60,000 operating budget.
The long-term goal, Boothroyd says, is to hold a series of concerts in Archie Browning Sports Centre, followed by an outdoor summer festival or concert. "Once we do the first one, the sky's the limit," he said, adding that Steve Miller Band is a possibility for next year.
The best part of the arrangement - particularly for taxpayers - is the lowrisk nature of the business plan, according to Hartman.
"The risk financially is limited. By now we've recovered any money we invested, through ticket sales and sponsorships, to get the program launched."
Laundrie is on board for future projects, and likes what he's seen so far from Esquimalt. "We're kind of building the framework for future shows at the park.
Once we lay down the foundation it is going to be that much easier for another one next summer. I already want to do it again."
