McCartney, Kiss fans spent $10M in Halifax

The Halifax region cashed in on last summer's Paul McCartney and Kiss concerts to the tune of more than $10 million.

That is a conservative estimate of spending during the two mega-concerts, held in July on the Halifax Common, a report prepared by city staff said.

About 50,000 people paid more than $100 each to hear former Beatle McCartney perform on July 11, and that's not the only time they opened their wallets.

Events Halifax, which helps bring large sport and entertainment events to the city, surveyed hundreds of the concertgoers to find out how much they spent on the concert.

The tally for the McCartney concert was about $8.2 million on meals, accommodations, shopping and other entertainment.

No survey was done during the Kiss concert on July 18, but city staff used the McCartney figures and applied them to the number of Kiss fans who showed up. Coun. Jennifer Watts, who asked for the report, is still not convinced this is a worthwhile use of the Common.

"There's also a negative impact," she said Friday. "I mean, businesses that border this district had to shut down. And on Spring Garden Road, on the weekends when these big concerts take place, business really drops."

A country music weekend on the Common featuring Alan Jackson, Kevin Costner and George Canyon has already been announced for early August.

Concert promoters are still working on a rock festival for either just before or just after the country extravaganza.