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.