Jt seems to be the government wish...

http://www.985fm.ca/national/nouvelles/l-internationnal-des-feux-loto- quebec-pourrait-dev-325622.html

Merci Mylène pour cette importante information.

Fred

This is a major news. While the segment pointed out by Mylène is very short, it captures almost entirely what the Quebec Transport Minister, Robert Poeti, said about the Montreal International Fireworks Competition(entire interview available here). Discussing about the need to do major works on various bridges in the Montreal area, he clearly states that he doesn't agree with closures due to fireworks events which postpone works, adding that he can't change anything for this year but that changes are coming. He said that he wishes that fireworks may continue, but that the event can be moved, in his opinion ("est-ce que c'est possible qu'on puisse les faire ailleurs, la réponse est oui" ).

It is not clear to my eyes how preliminary or developed is the Minister' thought on this issue. I wonder whether he is aware that the event is organized by an amusement park which can't be moved! However, we should bring another piece of information here: Loto-Québec, a Quebec government organization, had a three-year contract to sponsor the event, 2014 being the last year. We had no news about any renewal of this sponsorship.

A move would mean a complete financial and technical transformation of the organization behind the event. I wonder what is Six Flags' standing on this issue.

That may be the most serious threat on the event since a long time. I can't imagine how it can be moved without a significant downgrading of the whole thing, given that major investments have been made at La Ronde since mid-1980 to create an amphitheater customed-made for fireworks.

Fred

I cannot imagine this competition being held anywhere outside of La Ronde. It just wouldn't be the same!

Trav.

I am going to be live on CBC Daybreak (88.5FM in Montreal) this coming Monday morning around 7:15am to talk about this. Stay tuned!

Paul.

Any chance this got recorded somewhere, Paul ? I'd really like to hear it.

A few years ago, I was toying with the idea of the event being moved to the Parc Maisonneuve (well, this was a random thought among countless other ones), but I wasn't sure how they could get the required safety perimeter, not to mention the large amount of trees present in the park that would certainly block the field of view of many low-level shots. I'm also not sure how the explosions would affect the animals that live in the nearby Biodome.

With the fireworks being the most popular festival in Montreal in terms of attendance, I don't see how moving it somewhere else where the performance would surely be degraded is a good idea for keeping the same audience. We also all saw the results of shooting on Tuesdays and Fridays (again because of construction) in the grandstands and on the bridge in 2012, didn't we.

There are worse things, though, like the sponsorship of Loto-Québec expiring this year with no clear indication about its renewal like Fred mentioned above...

Let's just hope we have a good one this year, and many more to come, wherever they might end up...

Simon

CBC has a news story online, with a link (look at the "Listen" icon) to Paul's interview:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/international-fireworks-competi tion-could-move-from-la-ronde-1.2684491

Fred

Thanks for sharing that link, Fred. I fully agree with the points that Paul made, especially with respect to notorious consistency issues associated with infrastructure projects in this city.

Trav.

Hey guys,

Hummmm...you know they could always close down the bridge and NOT have people have access to it. Considering they have to close it down for maintenance, they could easily perform work while the competition is happening and make the people find alternate areas to view the show. Blaming the crappy roads in Montreal to cancel/screw up a fireworks festival is pretty stupid. I'm sure La Ronde would say "nope, we're still doing it. If people want to watch it, the best spot is inside La Ronde".

On a different note, not sure if it's my sound setup but Paul's deep relaxing voice on CBC Radio is like listening to the Berry White of pyro lol

Dan

On a different note, not sure if it's my sound setup but Paul's deep relaxing voice on CBC Radio is like listening to the Berry White of pyro lol

LOL - I will take that as a compliment! Make sure the sub-woofer is cranked up!

Paul.

While the relation between the issues at stake and Poëti idea to move the event isn't clear to me, the journalist of the linked story does it. To summarize, La Presse reports that Six Flags now appears in the lobbyism register to renegociate its long-term contract with the City, more specifically to decrease rental and to revise the provision regarding the Montreal International Fireworks Competition.

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/montreal/201508/03/01-4890163-la-ron de-veut-reduire-son-loyer.php

La Ronde spokesman does not provide explanations, but is quoted to say that La Ronde hopes to hold the event for years to come. Registration has been done last Friday:

http://www.lobby.gouv.qc.ca/servicespublic/consultation/ConsultationCi toyen.aspx?id=0

http://www.lobby.gouv.qc.ca/servicespublic/consultation/AfficherInscri ption.aspx?NumeroInscription=LseHyEd2EwWKplAhHZ65vA%3d%3d

I wonder what are the specifications outlined in the contract regarding the competition. Are there specifications about the number of shows per year, the dates, or the competition concept itself? The Quebec City fireworks event is no longer a competition since 2013. However, as far as I remember the information released at the time, Six Flags had engaged, in 2001, to hold the competition for 10 years only.

I imagine that it may be challenging for Six Flags to negotiate a decrease of its rental, as the company can't threaten to move its amusement park to another, less expensive, location. However Six Flags may bring the following argument. Assuming that City of Montreal hopes that an international fireworks festival continues, Six Flags can argue that growing economic pressures make it more difficult to hold the event, so a decrease of its rental would help to continue it; whether the City doesn't agree to reduce the rental, the City would have to take the blame for the end of the event.

Beyond the actual cost of the event (which most part is covered by sponsors and public funding), Six Flags may even argue that holding the competition has a huge opportunity cost, as a significant portion of the land is monopolized by the competition, that is, for less than 30 hours of use per year. To terminate the fireworks competition may bring opportunities for more attractions around the lake (and even where the lake is located, as its size may be reduced), such attractions being the way to increase current or future profitability. Therefore, Six Flags would engage to continue the fireworks competition in exchange for a decrease of rental.

A more Machiavellian scenario is that Six Flags' longtime goal is to terminate this event and engages into this bargaining without the genuine intent to continue the competition. So the current negociation would be the ultimate mirage to achieve this goal.

I am afraid that the Montreal International Fireworks Competition may be jeopardized like never before.

Fred

I was actually relieved to see that Six Flags said they want to continue the competition. As you said above, the original contract was for 10 years only (minimum). I think the park management understand that building more rides does not increase revenue - hence there have been few new rides put in during the past couple of years.

One of the larger costs not mentioned is that of security. When Montreal owned La Ronde, there was no additional cost incurred for policing the bridge, Notre Dame, road closures etc. etc. Since Six Flags took over, there has been a general change and festival organizers are now responsible for security costs - though for most festivals their site is in the public domain (e.g. Place des Spectacles) - this is not the case for La Ronde. So I think it is a reasonable argument for Six Flags to say that they should not have to pay the security costs for the event (except for the firemen in the park) but that this should be assumed by the City as the event benefits the public at large, who get to watch for free.

Any business will try and increase revenue and reduce operating costs, so it makes sense for Six Flags to do likewise, so I'm taking an optimistic view of this.

I just wish some friendly billionaire would come along and fund the competition in perpetuity. Given that Guy Laliberte has some "ideas" for using Ile Ste Helene, maybe he could cough up some of his vast fortune and support the competition ... even if we do have to have a Cirque-themed closing show once in a while! I know that if I was that rich, that's what I'd do!

Paul.

Just a quick note: Mylene wrote on her blog that the 32nd season is already confirmed.

"Et pour finir en beauté, c'est confirmé, à l'an prochain pour une 32e année !!!"

http://myleneetartifice.blogspot.ca/2015/08/10-4-montreal-snif.html

Ah, that is fantastic (and relieving) news! Thank you for sharing that information, ryguy2008!

Trav.

I don't know what kind of confirmation it is, but I hope it is right!

Fred