Board Makes Move to Bring Cirque du Soleil to Great Park

NOVEMBER 20, 2008 – IRVINE, California – Today, the Great Park Board of Directors recommended the City Council authorize the Great Park Chief Executive Officer to negotiate an agreement with Cirque du Soleil making the Great Park the official Orange County location for its regular “touring show.” The performances would take place every second or third year depending on the final details of an agreement.

Cirque du Soleil is a world renowned performance group with a dramatic mix of circus art and street entertainment. If approved, the first Cirque du Soleil performance could be as early as January 2010.

“We are very excited about Cirque du Soleil’s interest in coming to the Great Park,” said Larry Agran, Chair Orange County Great Park Board Corporation. “The Great Park is an ideal location for major performance venues. It is being designed to accommodate “big-tent” and other major events. A major entertainment performance such as Cirque du Soleil builds on the successes of the popular Great Park concert and dance series.”

More than 35,000 people from throughout Orange County came to the Great Park Night Flights concert and dance program series last summer. Each Cirque du Soleil performance could attract up to 2,600 spectators with 50 to 90 performances during their stay. If an agreement is reached, Cirque du Soleil provides yet another revenue generating opportunity for the Great Park.

The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of New York City’s Central Park, will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the redevelopment of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. The Great Park officially opened July 14, 2007 with the launch of the iconic Orange County Great Park Balloon. Visitors can also now enjoy the 27.5 acre Preview Park and Balloon night flights.
In the future, the Orange County Great Park will provide a wide array of active and passive uses, including a 2.5 mile canyon and lake, miles of walking and biking trails, a cultural terrace, Orange County’s largest sports park and a botanical garden.

For more information, pleasego to www.ocgp.org.

Press Contacts:
Steve Larsen
Clerk of the Board / Interim PIO
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-7414