McCartney may be on long and winding road to Halifax

The promoter who is bringing country star Keith Urban to Halifax is hoping Paul McCartney drops by for a concert of his own.

Harold MacKay played host to the former Beatle's senior tour staff this week.

"I feel good about it," he said Tuesday. "They did say to me that McCartney told them to come to Halifax and check it out, so that's always a good sign."

MacKay said McCartney's group, including a tour director and production manager, visited the Halifax Common, the central park where Urban is set to play this summer and where the Rolling Stones played in 2006.

"They were very impressed with everything they saw. They wanted to know a lot about the demographics. The fact that the Rolling Stones were on that site helps an awful lot," he said.

"They toured the site for a considerable length of time looking at the various angles and the ground levels and the number of screens they want. McCartney is very much a rock and roller so he likes lots of sound and lots of lights and lots of video screens."

MacKay said he expects an answer by mid-month.

The Stones headlined a concert at the Halifax Common on a rainy night in September 2006 before 50,000 fans.

MacKay announced Urban's concert in December, a month after promoters cancelled Céline Dion's show in the park, citing the unsuitability of the site.