Concerts for country music superstar Garth Brooks generate a buzz like no other and fans are ready to take in the two Edmonton shows — the only one in Canada on his stadium tour that also spans across the United States and in Ireland.
Barnie Yerxa is the general manager for the Delta hotels in south Edmonton and at City Centre mall in the city’s downtown.
He said as soon as tickets went on sale earlier this year, their hotels immediately started seeing reservations.
“From a normal weekend to a Garth weekend, you could probably say there is a 150 per cent increase in occupancies in our hotels across the city,” Yerxa said.
“The fact that it’s the only Canadian show, people are coming from all across (the country).”
Yerxa said it appears people are also making a weekend out of their trip.
“We are definitely seeing people coming in on the shoulder nights for this weekend and seeing the extra night on the Sunday night as well.”
Explore Edmonton president & CEO Traci Bednard said all business and hotels across the city are expecting to see a boost.
“We see our downtown fill up with visitors and stay in hotels and restaurants, but that can’t provide all the capacity needed so it’s a great opportunity where it also pushes out in to the other parts of Edmonton,” Bednard said.
Many hotels across Edmonton are booked solid through the weekend, and those remaining have higher-than-normal rates, Global News observed.
Garth is no stranger to Edmonton: in 2017, he sold out not one — not even two or three — but nine concerts with his wife Trisha Yearwood at Rogers Place.
He kept adding shows, determined to beat scalpers and ensure as many fans as possible got to take in the fun. The extravaganza pumped an estimated $42 million into the local economy.
Angie Gessner is travelling from Saskatoon to see Garth Brooks in Edmonton this upcoming weekend.
She first saw him live was in 1996, when she was in Grade 1. She went again in Saskatoon in 2016 and 2019. She couldn’t miss this chance, even if it meant a six-hour drive.
“I have just been riding my bike every where saving my gas money for Garth Brooks, I am saving this for beer money — I haven’t put gas in my car in a long time,” Gessner said.
She is picking up her sister in Lloydminster and a friend is meeting them from Calgary. They have also made plans to visit other areas in the city.
“We will probably go to West Edmonton Mall, do an Ikea trip — we don’t have one of those,” Gessner said of the Swedish furniture store.
But the main draw for this trip is to make new memories with Garth Brooks.
“Just getting in the building and the first five minutes, they’re so unreal and just the crowd they’re crazy, when he enters the stage your heart is going wild.”
For anyone who is going to the concert, it’s important to remember Commonwealth Stadium has a clear bag policy. No purses or clutches that you can’t see through will be allowed.
The City of Edmonton will be operating park-and-ride to and from the stadium at six locations, similar to how it does during Edmonton Elks games, however it will cost $6 for the special event two-way fare.
All Commonwealth Stadium Park & Ride service starts 2 hours before the event starts and ends once the stadium clears after the event.
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