Taylor Swift's daily impact on Vancouver may have exceeded 2010 games, says industry figure

Taylor Swift's three-night run at BC Place, closing out the pop star's global Eras Tour, generated daily economic impact for Vancouver that could rival the 2010 Olympics and smashed data streaming records, industry figures say.

The CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, Ian Tostenson, said the shows that ended Sunday had an effect that went far beyond other concert or sporting events in the city.

Tostenson said Monday that his group estimates there was a $25 million boost for Metro Vancouver’s establishments for each of the three show days.

In comparison, a sold-out, highly anticipated Vancouver Canucks playoff game brings an estimated $3 million a day in economic impact, Tostenson said.

“In the context of comparing to anything else, it’s not even believable almost — it’s such a huge impact,” Tostenson said. “I was out a little bit on Friday and Saturday, and every place I went to was absolutely lined up and packed.”

Tostenson said the concerts rivalled the Olympics in drawing fans from regions far beyond what a typical playoff hockey game would, and while it is difficult to compare the 2010 Winter Games to the Taylor Swift weekend, the events were in the same magnitude in daily impact on restaurants.

“The financial impact of the Olympics was massive, (but) it was spread out over a couple weeks in different venues and stuff,” he said. “So, you didn't sort of feel this concentration that you saw with Taylor Swift.”

Tostenson also said Swifties bumped up business across Metro Vancouver all weekend, with one major restaurant owner with multiple locations reporting full capacity not just at its downtown location but also in North Vancouver and Olympic Village.

He credits the festive mood brought by fans that had an emotional effect on people in general, which in turn has a major impact on restaurants, an industry built largely on discretionary spending.

People consume more when the mood is right, he said.

“From a financial point of view, the Olympics probably had a bigger impact,” Tostenson said. “But … I'm going to venture to estimate that this, on a daily basis compared to the Olympics, was stronger.”

Telecommunications giant Rogers said data used during the last show was enough to stream Swift's entire music catalogue 9,450 times.

It said in a statement that fans on the company's network set a Canadian record when they used more than 11 terabytes of mobile data in just a few hours at BC Place.

The company's chief technology officer Mark Kennedy said Monday that is the equivalent of uploading 307,000 photos and 2,180 hours of video streaming.

The previous record was set Nov. 21, when fans at Swift's concert in Toronto used 7.4 terabytes of data on the Rogers network.

Music industry publication Pollstar also said Monday that Swift's 149-show worldwide tour brought in revenue of US$2.2 billion in its 20-month run.

Vancouver Police thanked residents and visitors for a "safe and memorable weekend."

Const. Tania Visintin said in a social media post that police spent months preparing for the shows.

"We've had so much fun meeting people of all ages from all around the world, trading friendship bracelets and showing what a great city it can really be when we all look out for one another," she said.

Thirteen Swift-themed lighting installations were set up at locations around the city to celebrate the singer's arrival.

Suzanne Walters, a spokeswoman for Destination Vancouver, said most of the lit-up letters will be coming down over the next few days, but the “Swiftcouver” display downtown will stay until Dec. 13 — Swift’s birthday.

Walters said the letters will be reused for holiday displays over the month of December and then be part of a pool of rentable supplies.

Swift told the 60,000 fans in BC Place at Sunday's show that they were part of a tour seen by 10 million people, and that it was the most thrilling chapter of her life to date.

She said the legacy of the tour will be "a space of joy and togetherness and love" that the fans have created.

Swiftie Alaina Robertson echoed Swift's sentiments after the show, saying she shed lots of tears watching the "once in a lifetime" spectacle.

Robertson — who travelled from Camas, Wash., for the show and wore a "Reputation" inspired outfit along with a temporary silver bedazzled snake tattoo — said she doesn't think any other concert will be able to compare.

"It's going to be hard to beat," she said of the show.

"She's changing the world of music. She's changing entertainment entirely, and to be at the tour with the crowd here, getting to do the friendship bracelets, getting to get dressed up — it's just love and joy and friendship, and it's been really magical to be a part of it."

Fan accounts on social media platform X have posted photos showing a number of television and music stars at BC Place Sunday night, including actors Jenna Fischer, Aubrey Plaza and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as well as Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.

— With files from Ashley Joannou, Brieanna Charlebois and The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024.