Northlands has asked a promoter to take any reference to the Expo Centre off a web page promoting a benefit concert. “We Are Strong” is intended to raise money to support victims of the Sept. 30 stabbing and van attacks in Edmonton and Canadian victims of the Las Vegas shooting.
“We absolutely don’t have anything booked for this event,” Caiti Farquharson with Northlands said Thursday.
A poster, news release dated Oct. 6 and the web page all listed the Expo Centre as the venue and Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. as the date and time. That webpage was altered Thursday afternoon, after organizor James Cousineau heard from Northlands.
“We really don’t want to be associated with the whole event that this person is trying to invent,” Farquharson said.
Cousineau admits he jumped the gun.
“We just wanted to get the information out,” he said from his Sound Max DJ & Event Services office. “We released the page with the details on it, it shouldn’t actually have been refreshed until we had that confirmed.”
The news release also boasts of the event being “streamed online to viewers worldwide.” It also said there will be an online auction and its asks for donations, sponsorship and contributions for the auction.
There is also a “donate here” field to click on. Cousineau said no one has.
As for the performers, that’s TBA as well.
“We’ve got a couple of bands that are interested, but we have to finalize everything first before we get them on line.”
According to the Northlands website, the two closest events in Hall D are a Tanya Tucker and Aaron Pritchett concert on Nov. 11 and a Disney on Ice show on Nov. 30.
Cousineau said his back-up plan is to stage the event with the city.
A spokesperson for the City of Edmonton civic events office told 630 CHED that they have received a request, but have not heard from anyone representing the event.