Niagara Falls ready for Live with Kelly & Ryan
The stage is set and Niagara Falls is ready.
That was the message Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati had on the eve of Live with Kelly & Ryan at Oakes Garden Theatre.
“The exposure is unbelievable,” he said Sunday. “Everyone is talking about Niagara Falls and the publicity we’re getting is immeasurable.”
“It’s perfect timing for the massive exposure to the U.S. market especially given the exchange rate we’re dealing with right now and the fact our inbound tourism numbers for Canada are approximately triple the international figures, which means this is the year for Canada.”
David Adames, chief operating officer at Niagara Parks, agreed.
“We expect new visitation as a result of the broadcasts, supporting the trend of increasing U.S. visitation to Niagara over the past three years,” he said.
The popular daytime television show featuring co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest will air one episode live today, then tape an episode to air the following day.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will appear at the live taping.
“The prime minister’s participation has further raised the profile, interest and excitement for the event and is so fitting given that the country is celebrating Canada 150 this year,” Adames said.
Trudeau will be the first sitting Canadian prime minister to appear on the long-running daytime show.
“He always seemed like a great guy, an interesting person, and as leader of all of Canada, I think the American public and Canadian public are interested in what he has to say,” said Michael Gelman, executive producer of Live with Kelly & Ryan.
Other guests slated for the show include Howie Mandel and Nathan Fillion.
The Live with Kelly & Ryan crew, including Ripa and Seacrest, have been filming at various locations across Niagara in the days leading up to today’s shows, which will be before a crowd of 3,300 people.
This is not the first time the show has shone the spotlight on Niagara Falls.
In 1996, hosts Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford did two shows — one live, one taped.
The show returned in May 2006, with Philbin and new co-host Ripa.
“Typically, the shows they do in Niagara Falls are a ratings bonanza for Live,” Diodati said.
“This time around social media has been on fire. Today, we have Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook … there are no boundaries for promotion and it has been going everywhere.”
The previous shows were also filmed at Oakes Garden Theatre.
“Having the broadcast at Oakes Garden is another great way to mark the 80th anniversary of the site,” Adames said.
The theatre opened to the public in 1937 and Niagara Parks recently completed restoration work on the pergola wall, fountains and accessible paths.
The New York-based television show also taped episodes north of the border on Prince Edward Island in 2010, and in Alberta in 2012.
“We love the people,” Gelman said of Canada. “There’s so much natural beauty and so many things to do up here, so it’s been a real haven for us in terms of finding locations to visit.”
Live with Kelly & Ryan airs on CTV and ABC at 9 a.m.