13 Jun 2018
Cirque du Soleil set to transform face of family entertainment centres with new business venture
BY Alice Davis
Cirque du Soleil, the world renowned acrobatic circus, is increasing its presence in the attractions industry by launching its own brand of family entertainment centre (FEC).
Parent company Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group revealed that the iconic performance troupe inspired the design and concept of the FEC, which will offer immersive, creative and active experiences for young children and their families.
Called Creactive, it will now be rolled out to locations globally with Canadian real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridge opening the first of the FECs in September 2019 in the Greater Toronto area. Creactive is designed to be housed within a larger retail environment, and requires 2,200sq m (24,000sq ft) of space.
“Our fans regularly express their wish to experience Cirque du Soleil from an insider’s perspective, to peek behind the curtain and imagine themselves stepping into our artists’ shoes,” said Marie-Josée Lamy, Cirque du Soleil producer of Creactive.
“With Creactive, we make that possible by inviting families to jump on stage, offering them another way to explore our creativity beyond our live shows.”
The FEC will expand on the typical offer, with a range of Cirque-inspired activities, including bungee jumping, aerial parkour, wire and trampolines, mask design, juggling, circus track activities, dance and more.
A version of the concept has already seen daylight in the form of a collaboration with Club Med in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Opio, France.
Ivanhoé Cambridge is a subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, one of Canada’s biggest institutional fund managers and a minority shareholder in Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
“We are thrilled to invest in the first Creactive centre and to work hand-in-hand with Cirque du Soleil to inspire new areas of escape with infinite possibilities,” said Claude Sirois, president of retail at Ivanhoé Cambridge.
“Creactive is perfectly aligned with our vision for the future of retail: to join forces with the right partners to offer innovative experiences for the benefits of local families and communities. This collaboration is a terrific illustration of our efforts to transform the retail experience for our discerning guests.”
Cirque du Soleil is also venturing into the theme park business with Mexican developer Grupo Vidanta to build and operate a “first-of-its-kind immersive theme park experience” in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.
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