Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 30, 1996, Winnipeg, Manitoba A6 saturday from March 1996 Canadas touring network wants to fake Winnipeg into a major North american entertainment circuit featuring shows for All Ages Winnipeg their histor from blues to from country to from hip hop to something for everyone a visionary idea More than a year Wayne president and ceo of Canadas touring network approached the City of Winnipeg with an exciting new the plan was to revitalize four classic Winnipeg theatres the the the Capitol and the metropolitan and turn them into a major North american entertainment circuit by bringing in thousands of tourists from Canada and the United the tour packages could be tailored to All Ages and All varieties of from touring musical theatre shows to Nashville stars to hot new pop artists seven nights a week to Many this might seem like Only a but Canadas touring network could make it a dream come the International touring with a head office in three other offices in Canada and an office in has been called the largest motor coach tour operator in Western they know the touring business because they have been one of the leaders i the since Canadas has been the official Canadian tour operator for the shooting Star Casino in providing about 50 per cent of the casinos last Canadas became the exclusive tour operator for the Brand new Casino Regina in the five year old company sends about tourists a year to the shooting Star and expects to Send at least to people this year to Casino through its wholly owned Circle Tours and Grey Goose Tours the company also conducts Tours throughout North America to places As far West As As far East As As far North As and As far South As with their recent expansion and new Canadas touring network now employs More than 100 a proposal to the City Flett says he wants the people of Winnipeg to know the whole Story about what kind of concept and plan Hes proposing to the City of the new vaudeville imagine Winnipeg As the entertainment capital of imagine crowds of people filling the downtown area to see shows by country music performers such As Dolly Las vegas stars like Tom Jones and David or pop music chivas like Celine Dion and Shania imagine spectacular Broadway musicals like Evita and or awards show galas with throngs of now imagine that happening every transforming Winnipeg into an exciting entertainment Mecca that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists per those who Are sceptical about whether that Many people would want to visit Winnipeg should consider what Canadas touring network has done for and neither location has the cultural diversity that Winnipeg has to and yet Canadas touring network has been sending thousands of tourists a year to Mahnomen shooting Star Casino and Regina Casino Winnipeg historical theatres could pay for themselves by becoming this cites biggest tourism Canadas touring network will use its extensive network of touring resources across North America to attract people from Western and the Central although most of the Tours would come in by air Tours would be arranged As Well to attract people from farther at the turn of the Winnipeg theatres attracted some of the worlds biggest stars to Winnipeg As part of the International vaudeville Canadas touring network wants to create a new vaudeville by attracting tourists to our beautifully designed antique Here is a historical overview of these venues the Capitol location 313 Donald year opened circa 1920 seating capacity 288 current owner famous players originally designed for stage the Capitol still had three floors of dressing rooms still intact while it was being used As a movie theatre in later distinguished by the artwork on the upper the Capitol had an orchestra pit that was eventually covered by the stage floor and used for rumours had it that the building was haunted by the ghost of an old stagehand named in the Capitol was subdivided into an upper and a lower level by its famous players so that two movies could be screened simultaneously at the it has been closed since the metropolitan location 285 Donald year opened 1920 seating capacity 400 Cuk Kent owner famous players history designed by Detroit architect Howard the building opened As the Allen 9 ;