The Gazette

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Cirque du Soleil might get permanent Toronto venue
The Gazette

Quelle horreur! It’s possible that the Cirque du Soleil may find its first permanent Canadian performance venue in Toronto rather than Montreal.

According to stories published recently in the Toronto Star and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MGM Resorts International, which is lobbying to get in on a proposed downtown Toronto casino, is hinting that it might include a permanent venue for Montreal’s Cirque du Soleil.

This would be a huge blow to Quebec pride. Unless, of course, Cirque owner and adventurous billionaire Guy Laliberté appeases les gens de notre pays by completing a permanent venue for his billion circus here first — something he has been talking about doing for decades. The most recent Montreal rumours have to do with the Cirque’s acquisition of the Maison Alcan building on Sherbrooke St.

The Las Vegas-based MGM is but one of several companies lobbying to run the proposed Toronto casino, which probably would be located at Exhibition Place, although other Toronto locations are being considered. Caesars Entertainment Corp., the company that runs Caesars Palace, the performing home of Céline Dion in Vegas, also wants in on the Toronto game. (There are, as yet, however, no rumours of a Caesar’s that would entice Dion to take up permanent residence in Toronto.)

À Montréal, on a déjà eu un projet pour le Cirque du Soleil dans le Vieux-Port. Les indigènes ont dit non…

Le Cirque du Soleil à Toronto pourrait bien être un monument dédié à la stupidité des Montréalais…