KISS "Planning Something Special For Oshawa"
August 25, 2009, 15 years ago
Oshawa Councillor Robert Lutczyk was on Toronto's CFRB radio this morning after his Southern Ontario city (one hour from Toronto) was dissed by KISS and did not appear on the band’s fall tour schedule. Oshawa won the fan-voted online contest that KISS conducted recently by gathering 14,573 votes in roughly three months. Lutczyk mentioned that a representative from the KISS camp says that the band "are planning something special" for Oshawa.
There are rumours that KISS may perform a free show for the city of Oshawa - possibly at Mosport International Raceway (formerly Mosport Park) - a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville, Ontario.
According to Newsdurhamregion.com, the KISS frenzy started after Lutczyk heard about the online contest and urged residents to vote as a way of boosting Oshawa’s economy. He said the benefits for local businesses would surpass $1 million per night if the legendary '70’s rock band played the 6,500-seat General Motors Centre in downtown Oshawa.
The city responded in a big way. Council declared April 27 to May 3 KISS in Oshawa Week, the Oshawa Centre hosted a KISS kiosk in May and local businesses - and even one local church - posted signs encouraging people to vote.
Coun. Lutczyk was crushed Monday morning (August 24th), when he learned Oshawa doesn’t appear on the tour schedule.
“Gene Simmons told me and my son personally that they would be coming, he told me the date would be in mid-October,” Coun. Lutczyk said, referring to his recent meeting with the KISS front man during a tour of Parliament Hill. “How can KISS go back on their word like this? It’s unfair and it’s just wrong.”
