$4 Million Too Much For Van Halen, Says P.E.I.

$4 MILLION TOO MUCH FOR VAN HALEN, SAYS P.E.I.:

June 26, 2008

Escalating demands for a government subsidy have killed the possibility of a Van Halen concert in Charlottetown this Labour Day weekend.

Tourism Minister Valerie Docherty told CBC News on Wednesday the request for the provincial investment in the concert continued to climb as negotiations went on until it eventually reached about $4 million.

“They started off around $1.6 million, and so that was a doable figure for us,” said Docherty.

“Unfortunately, for some reason, and possibly because of what the Eagles are getting paid for through New Brunswick, I don’t know if that’s what jacked it up, but we didn’t believe Van Halen was at the same level.”

Spending $4 million on a Van Halen concert would not have been the best use of taxpayers’ money, she said.

A major concert featuring Keith Urban in Halifax that weekend was also a factor in the decision to abandon talks.

Courtesy of www.cbc.ca