Downturn weighs on Stampede as revenues take $12 million hit

Officials looking at promotions, ticket pricing to lift attendance

Revenue was down at the Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth last year and the Calgary Stampede is looking for ways to get more people down to the grounds.

The Stampede’s coffers took a nearly $12 million hit between 2015 and 2016, but Calgary Stampede CEO Warren Connell said management have battened down the hatches after concerns over bad attendance and worse weather.

“Obviously with an economic downturn there’s some concern,” Connell said. “But as far as Stampede goes we took … very thoughtful action as soon as we thought it wasn’t going to be a blip in the economy.”

Connell said those actions included looking at ways to bring people “back to the Stampede” with reduced ticket pricing and event promotions.

In 2016, admission costs were slashed on select days from $18 to $5 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Connell said plans are in the works for similar promotions for the coming year. Connell couldn’t give specifics but he did say there could be pop-up promotions, reduced pricing and a celebration to mark Canada’s 150th birthday.

Eight days of rain hurt overall attendance last year but Connell said the Stampede actually broke an attendance record on the final day of festivities.

“If you look at the numbers, we’ve had the rainiest year since 1927 last year and on one of the rainiest days … we set a new attendance record,” Connell said.

“I think you’d find that our organization really isn’t too panicked about having an 8 out of 10-day rainy season and then coming in at the numbers we did. I think we thought that was pretty awesome.”

Cindy Ady, CEO of Tourism Calgary, said introducing special admission prices last year helped get people down to the grounds despite a Stampede “monsoon.”

“It really was challenging but I thought (Stampede) did a fantastic job of adjusting,” Ady said. “But there’s no question that weather was really a factor for them last year.”

The Stampede saw a nearly $1.3 million boost in sponsorships last year thanks to a partnership with fast-food giant McDonald’s, which almost balances the books after a $2 million reduction to annual grants from the provincial government between 2014 and 2016.

With number in the red for the second year in a row Connell said the Stampede will stick to the game plan of “operating within their means.”

“Based on the economy, the way it is today, we’re actually doing very well and I don’t anticipate there where will be any reductions, both in programming and in staff,” Connell said.

Ady said business travel to the city is down but there has been an increase in vacation travellers from abroad, leading to more competitive prices in the hospitality industry. And with more Calgarians opting for “staycations,” Ady said she is hopeful tourism during Stampede 2017 will bounce back from last year’s slump. “I think Stampede is thinking very creatively … they really do set the summer season.”