A new study by ERA/AECOM, a highly respected economic forecasting firm, finds that Cirque du Soleil performances at the Orange County Great Park will bring jobs, increased revenues at local business establishments, and more tax dollars to Orange County. The study was commissioned by the Orange County Great Park Corporation and presented as part of the Orange County Great Park Strategic Business Plan, outlining development goals and financial stability for the Park over the next ten years.

Report available here: http://media.ocgp.org/docs/CirqueImpactReportIrvine.pdf

The economic study shows that direct spending by Cirque du Soleil and visitors to Orange County will bring $2.4 million per season and 300 seasonal jobs. The City of Irvine's general fund will also benefit from an estimated $88,000 in tax revenues per season.

Last May, Cirque du Soleil selected the Great Park as the official Orange County site location for its touring shows. Performances of the Cirque du Soleil 2010 touring show KOOZA begin January 8th(,), and Cirque du Soleil has the option to return as many as 8 times through 2018.

"Cirque du Soleil brings great value to the Great Park, the City of Irvine and all of Orange County," said Larry Agran, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation Board of Directors. "In addition to bringing world class entertainment to the Great Park, Cirque du Soleil benefits many facets of our local community by creating jobs and boosting sales at our local restaurants, hotels and business establishments."

The report states that the Cirque du Soleil organization will spend $1.7 million in Orange County per production to operate, staff and promote the Irvine shows:

• The Cirque will hire approximately 165 southern Californians to help with site preparation, set up, tear down, ticket sales, and usher work.
• The Cirque will bring 50 performers/artists and 100 support administrative staff, who will stay in Irvine hotels.
• The Cirque will purchase groceries from local establishments to serve three meals per day to the 150 visiting staff members, and will purchase $40,000 in fuel to operate its equipment and kitchen.
• The Cirque will spend approximately $50,000 in Southern California to transport its staff between the hotels and the performance venue at the Great Park.
• The Cirque will spend an estimated $125,000 during seven weeks for rental of temporary office space and equipment.
• Local spending by Cirque includes promotional cost of $300,000 for advertising and marketing and $40,000 for a premiere grand opening event.
• Other cirque expenditures in Southern California will include approximately $20,000 for professional fees to lawyers, consultants, architects and engineers.

Cirque's decision to select the Great Park as its Orange County venue was driven in part by the Park's new, 14-acre Festival Site. The site features 530,000 square feet of unobstructed paved surface, and has been described by local event companies as "a dream location."

"Cirque du Soleil will be the first tenant of our Festival Site, which is generating a lot of interest among large event organizers," said Mike Ellzey, Chief Executive Officer, Orange County Great Park Corporation. "The development of the Festival Site literally paves the way for other groups to bring their large events to the Great Park. As that happens, similar economic benefit will continue to flow into Orange County."

For more information on the Orange County Great Park, please go to www.ocgp.org.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park