Cirque du Soleil giving a boost to local economy
‘VOLTA’ is mid-way through six week engagement
UPPER PROVIDENCE » Cirque du Soleil’s show “VOLTA”” is in the middle of its six week engagement under the Big Top outside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks.
While it is still too soon to get a sense of the full economic impact of the show on Montgomery County, one thing is clear at this point: show organizers and tourism officials feel confident the local economy is getting a boost.
In a recent interview with Digital First Media, Cirque du Soleil company manager Yannick Spierkel said the economic impact of the Big Top show “VOLTA” could range between $14 million and $20 million. That figure is based on results in other communities where Cirque du Soleil has performed.
“It’s an average in North America for us. The final figure always depends on the popularity of the show, and also the habits of the people. It’s really the impact overall of the attraction in the market,” he said.
Spierkel added that locally, Cirque du Soleil will spend about $2 million, “during the two months we are here — in staff, products, services and lodging.”
Spierkel said ticket sales for the show have been good so far. “VOLTA” debuted July 12 and runs through Aug. 19. Spierkel said sales picked up once the Big Top was erected.
“That created attention. Our best billboard is our big top,” he said. “We see sales pick up when we arrive in a city and then get to the premier.”
Edward Harris is chief marketing officer for the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. He said it’s tough to gauge the full economic impact of Cirque du Soleil right now — and expects to be getting more information in August. Anecdotally, he said he is hearing from the agency’s partners that things are going well, and that occupancy in area hotels “has been strong.”
That $14 million to $20 million estimate is reasonable, he said, “based on results from big events like the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and the economic impacts of the big sports tournaments held in the county.”
While the Democratic National Convention was held in the city of Philadelphia, 30 different delegations were housed in hotels in Montgomery County. The impact of that one week was $11 million, according to Harris. He added that the sports events generate about $20 million each year.
Bringing a show the size of Cirque du Soleil to the area is no small undertaking, according to Spierkel.
The tour is composed of 140 people from 25 countries. That number includes artists, show technicians, wardrobe employees and several family members.
It took six days to erect the Big Top, but that work followed site preparation done by workers hired by the owners of the Expo Center.
Artists and staff are being housed primarily in three different hotels within about 10-minutes travel time, according to Spierkel. They are transported to the performance venue in transportation contracted with the individual hotels. Some staff members have chosen long-term private rentals, he added.
Where it can, Spierkel said Cirque du Soleil hires local workers.
“When we are here we hire 80 to 100 people every single day,” he said, adding that the company works with Adecco Group temporary staffing agency to find and train employees to work in the box office, customer service, food and beverage, security services and specialized work in raising and lowering the Big Top.
In addition, Spierkel said Cirque has an on site kitchen with four chefs that prepare more than 400 meals each day. The food, he said is purchased locally.
“That goes for many of our services. Everything that we try to do is with local businesses or those with local branches,” he said.
Cirque du Soleil has visited the greater Philadelphia area 16 times since 2001 — the last time in 2013, according to Spierkel. The current engagement is the first time the international company has performed in Montgomery County.
While Harris is hoping it won’t be the last time, Spierkel said it’s too soon to say whether Cirque du Soleil will return to the county.
“We will assess it at the end of the run,” he said, adding that the audiences have been very welcoming of the show and the artists. He also said the permitting process and the site prep went smoothly.
“This event really puts Montgomery County on the map for holding a large scale entertainment event. This was unique. It’s great to see we can pull this off,” Harris said, adding that it has been a challenge for the organization over the past several years to generate a big lift in hotel occupancy during the summer months.
“We are competing against the Jersey shore,” he said. “But when the DNC came in 2016, a lightbulb went off that if we have the right caliber of event happening in the region in the summer, we can have success with the hotel community, restaurants and shopping.”
For show and ticket information for “VOLTA” visit www.cirquedusoleil.com