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RRC reaches agreement with Invictus Entertainment Group

Photo: Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler rocks out at Shell Place on July 19, 2015. Nicole Baggio / PRODUCER

(Photo: Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler rocks out at Shell Place on July 19, 2015. Nicole Baggio / PRODUCER)

An agreement has been reached between the Regional Recreation Corporation and Invictus Entertainment Group, to book, promote and produce concert events at SMS Equipment Stadium at Shell Place.

IEG is one of Canada’s largest independent promoters and specializes in entertainment procurement services, event programming, and artist representation on an agency and management level.

“We produce and promote world class events in secondary and tertiary marketplaces. This venue and the patrons of this city deserve the focus and attention of the entertainment world, and we’re going to service and showcase this new stadium in an unprecedented manner,” said Invictus President and CEO, Jim Cressman in a release.

There is no exact number of concerts the RRC is hoping to bring in but this new agreement will give them a greater opportunity to get a variety of shows to make their way to northern Alberta.

“It really helps us make those connections that we need because we are in Fort McMurray  and we are in more of a secondary and tertiary market and that is really what IEG specializes in so it allows us to make those connections through somebody who has a name in the industry, who already has those connections and just develop and work on those opportunities,” said RRC spokesperson Theresa Wells.

“We’re going to evaluate every opportunity that presents itself in terms of how it fits for our demographic and how it fits for our market and what we can look at for attendance numbers so there’s no real hard number we’re going to look at annually but certainly we’ll be looking to host those opportunities as the arise.”

IEG works with a wide range of artists which have included: Bob Dylan, KISS, Carrie Underwood, John Mellencamp, Motley Crue, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Train, Toby Keith, ZZ Top, Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Loretta Lynn, Marilyn Manson, John Fogerty, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ke$ha, Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakam, Alice Cooper, Reba, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Big & Rich.

“We’re excited to have Invictus as an advocate ‎for our facility,” said Annette Antoniak, Chief Executive Officer of the RRC. “Jim and his company have a long history of success and we believe this agreement will benefit the community through terrific new opportunities for concert events.”

Shell Place and SMS Equipment Stadium officially opened on June 12th of this year. The facility has hosted two CFL games, two NASL games, Monster X Tour, Western Canada Summer Games opening and closing ceremonies and over 8,000 people attended July’s Aerosmith concert.