NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
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Okanagan Coquihala MP Dan Albas gets new job
VOL. 47 ISSUE 76
11
21 page
FRIDAY, September 20, 2013
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entertainment One Hit Wonders draw
sports The Vees look to continue their
from a long list of songs
Kristi Patton
Western News Staff
THE SOUTH OKANAGAN EVENTS CENTRE turns five next week and in that time has amassed an impressive list of performances, including a national championship from the Vees and a visit from Cirque du Soleil.
Western News file photo
Five years ago sitting in her portable trailer for an office, Carla Seddon could see the vision for the South Okanagan Events Centre, even through a cloud of construction dust. “I think all of the people who have been here since the beginning could see that vision. It was just a matter of taking all the steps, and they were some interesting steps along the way,” said Seddon, Global Spectrum’s senior marketing manager at the SOEC. From all hands on deck frantically wiping down seats on Sept. 27, 2008, minutes before they opened their doors for the first time to the community for the inaugural event, the Penticton Vees versus the West Kelowna Warriors, to one million people visiting over five years, the SOEC has forever changed the face of entertainment and events in the South Okanagan. “I think the negativity in the beginning towards Global Spectrum was one of the biggest challenges. There were certainly mistakes made on our side, but to know that you have this vision and the potential, but to read letters to the editor was a tough slog for a lot of our staff to constantly be hit with,” said Seddon. “I think a lot of us took it as a personal challenge as well. We knew that Global Spectrum was a really good company and it was a matter of learning this city. “It was put your head down and do everything to the best of your ability, and slowly but surely we turned it around.” From the very first concert, Feist, to hosting mega-star acts like Brad Paisley and setting attendance records with Eric Church, a relationship developed with the SOEC, Global Spectrum and businesses so everyone could
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maximize the potential for the building. Seddon said it was a matter of the company capitalizing on their knowledge of the business and learning the ropes in the city. Part of that was learning what shows sell well, and so far it has been country music. They also have brought in an array of entertainment like Cirque du Soleil, Avicci, the Harlem Globetrotters and musicals to appeal to a wider demographic. Seddon said having a leader in Dean Clarke, the general manager and recently announced regional vice-president for Global Spectrum, has proven to be a huge positive because they have leaned on his regional experience. “It’s really funny to hear one of my friends in Kelowna ask why all the good bands are going to Penticton,” said Robert Appelman, president of the Penticton Hospitality Association. “We want people to know that Penticton is a great town with big-city amenities. The SOEC has had a really big impact bringing events and tourists into town that stay overnight at hotels and motels. “I have people staying overnight that live as close as Kelowna and Vernon because they are checking out the nightlife after a concert, event, convention or seminar.” In an economic impact study of the SOEC, Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Memorial Arena and Okanagan Hockey School Training Centre from Sept. 1, 2011 to Aug. 30, 2012 it shows $33.9 million in total economic activity, generating the equivalent to 368 jobs. In a break down of information, using the Keith Urban concert as the example, the study counted 4,945 people in paid attendance with the biggest draw of people coming from the Okanagan region (3,026), outside of Penticton. Using their formula, the study says the concert generated $302,959.
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