Ottawa Pays $100K To Keep Michael Bolton From Singing

OTTAWA, Ontario (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Two cancelled concerts at Ottawa’s SuperEx cost the city and stadium almost $100,000 in fees paid to the artist, according to the city’s Ottawa Citizen.

Michael Bolton’s August 21st stadium concert and Gregory Charles’ August 25th show at the Civic Centre were both cancelled due to poor ticket sales, when only about 200 tickets had been sold to each. SuperEx, along with co-promoters Lansdowne Park, made the final decisions to pull the plugs.

Ticket prices for Bolton’s show ranged from $65 to $85, with tickets for the Charles show selling from $39 to $52. According to performance contracts obtained by the paper, Bolton was paid a total of $66,191, and Charles earned about $30,000. With additional advertising fees and incidentals, the paper estimates the cost at about $100,000.

The paper intercepted a confidential email from Lansdowne Park official Patrick Desrosiers and Wayne Roy, a SuperEx official, outlining the totals.

“These numbers represent out lost (sic) thus far, for the cancelled events. I hope to receive the final reconciliation from Rich Little (show) later today or tomorrow," says the e-mail dated Aug. 20, 2007, a day before Bolton was scheduled to perform and almost a week before Charles's show.

The park appears to be in some trouble, according to the paper, as other show totals, including performances by impressionist Rich Little, comedy-songwriter Weird Al Yankovic and others, have been criticized for possibly incorrect box office reports. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers