Belmont Lay
February 25, 2024
So, just how did Singapore get American pop queen Taylor Swift to perform six concerts at one shot here from March 2 to 9, 2024, making this country the only Southeast Asian stop of her tour?
In the wake of public interest, The Straits Times and CNA have shed some light on the process.
Here's the timeline.
October and November 2022
In October and November 2022, Singapore had already started soliciting the sporting and entertainment world to hold their events here.
This is according to Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM) chairman Keith Magnus, who spoke to ST.
December 2022
In December 2022, the Singapore government took back the Sports Hub, a 60,000-capacity venue.
Magnus, who is chairman and chief executive of investment banking firm Evercore, took over the corporate entity to manage the S$1.33 billion Sports Hub in Kallang that month.
The corporate entity was established by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and Sport Singapore (SportSG).
Early 2023
In early 2023, Magnus said a "team from Singapore" went over to Los Angeles to meet leaders from the sports and entertainment world, ST reported.
It was not revealed who the people in the Singapore team were, however.
But this meeting occurred when Swift, arguably the hottest property in pop for a few years now, was about to embark on her The Eras Tour in the United States.
No international venues had been confirmed for her concerts at that time.
The trip to LA served as "a catalyst" to figure out what major events could be done in Singapore.
A few months after the LA trip, the Singapore team and concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) worked to "deliver Asia" to Swift, it was reported, without divulging details or what this phrase means.
June 2023
In June 2023, the Singapore dates for The Eras Tour were announced.
Three more concert dates were added subsequently, as Swift will hold six shows altogether.
Specifics of deal not divulged
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and MCCY then issued a joint statement, which said the authorities supported the upcoming concerts in the form of a grant, but stopped short of saying how much was involved.
Magnus did not elaborate on the specifics of the deal, nor the grant amount when asked, ST reported.
He did say that there was “certainly an understanding that it was an only-in-Singapore event" and "that’s how it was branded”.
This was in response to the query if an exclusivity clause was part of the agreement with Swift’s team.
CNA reported that the STB declined to answer queries on whether the grant had been given out in the past and which acts it had been given to, citing business confidentiality.
What would concerts bring to Singapore's economy?
From January to April 2024, the National Stadium is expecting to host more than 900,000 visitors for concerts alone.
ST reported that the temporary influx of travellers for concerts at the National Stadium brings with it economic growth, cultural enrichment, as well as global recognition, citing the views of Zachery Rajendran, programme chair for the diploma in integrated events management at Republic Polytechnic.
Coldplay’s concerts, it was reported, would have contributed S$96 million of revenue to Singapore’s gross domestic product.
Swift's concerts will likely bring more.
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