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Minister Edwin Tong refutes high spending claims on Taylor Swift’s Singapore concerts

Singapore’s Minister Edwin Tong refutes high cost rumors for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour”, suggests actual expenses are far lower than speculated US$3M per concert.

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In a recent interview with Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Edwin Tong, Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, responded to the widespread speculation about the costs incurred by Singapore to secure Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” concerts exclusively for the region.

Diverging from earlier claims made by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Tong stated, “The numbers that you see online – it is nowhere as high as what is being speculated,” challenging assertions that Singapore had expended up to US$3 million per concert.

According to a report by the Bangkok Post, Srettha alleged that Singapore had secured exclusive rights for Taylor Swift to perform at the renowned National Stadium in the city-state, effectively shutting out other Southeast Asian nations from hosting the pop sensation.

According to Srettha, AEG informed him that the Singapore government financially supported Taylor Swift’s concerts, offering US$2 million to 3 million per show in exchange to perform solely in Singapore.

CNA’s report suggests that the actual amount Singapore committed to securing Swift’s six shows falls significantly lower, between US$2 million to US$3 million in total, countering the higher figures previously circulated.

Tong sought to refocus the narrative away from just the financial aspects.

“What I’ll say is this: It’s not just about a grant or a deal, but the overall package,” he said, implying that the decision to host Swift was part of a larger strategy, though specifics of this strategy and its outcomes remain under discussion.

The minister’s comments come amid scrutiny over the value and transparency of the deals made to attract international stars to Singapore. While Swift’s six concerts have sold out, attracting over 300,000 fans, questions linger about the true cost to Singapore’s taxpayers and the direct benefits of hosting such events.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) had earlier confirmed the government’s support of the upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Singapore, facilitated through a grant.

On Tuesday (20 Feb), in response to inquiries from Singapore’s primary media outlet, The Straits Times, over the claims made by Srettha, STB and MCCY issued a joint statement expressing their confidence that the concerts are poised to bring substantial benefits to the Singaporean economy.

The statement highlighted the anticipated positive impact on various tourism sectors, including hospitality, retail, travel, and dining, drawing parallels with the success observed in other cities where the pop star has performed.

Notably, the statement revealed that over 300,000 tickets have already been sold for the concerts, attracting a considerable number of fans from different countries.

BBC in a report, however noted that it has reached out to Singapore’s tourism board about the net gain from the concerts but they have refused to reveal foreign visitor estimates or other modelling.

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Australia said her concert brought in $1billion in revenue. So we should perhaps make about $6billion. LW please declare dividends to all Singaporeans as taxpayers’ monies were used. How about $500/- per Singaporean?

POFMA is absolutely APPLIED VERY VERY SELECTIVELY – when this is so done, it GIES TO SHOW the mentality, the STRUCTURE of THINKING behind the Enforcers.

The ENFORCERS are humans LIKE You and Me. How they and us think IS ENTIRELY 100 % the SAME. The ONLY HUGE DIFFERENCE is they ENFORCE BASED on Politics.

And THEY PLAY Very VERY DIRTY POLITICS.

 it is nowhere as high as what is being speculated,” challenging assertions that Singapore had expended up to US$3 million per concert…

He’s right! Coz a trustworthy source said,
we paid her $18,000,000.00 per day (not per concert) !!!

ANSCHUTZ ENTERTAINMENT (AEG) SG PTE. LTD. (201815844D)

ANSCHUTZ ENTERTAINMENT (AEG) SG PTE. LTD. is a Singapore PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES. The company was incorporated on 09 May 2018, which is 5.8 years ago. The address of the Business’s registered office is 38A CRAIG ROAD, Postal 089676. The Business current operating status is Live Company. The Business’s principal activity is ACTIVITIES OF HEAD AND REGIONAL HEAD OFFICES; CENTRALISED ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND SUBSIDIARY MANAGEMENT OFFICES. The Business’s secondary activity is EVENT/CONCERT ORGANISERS. The company’s paid-up capital is USD 900,001. The company UEN is 201815844D, registered with ACRA on 2018-05-09.

What do everyone expect from Fantasy Island Inc management?

To them it is just business! And tax revenues!

Just asking. Could this be another similar F1-S. Iswaran case?

Imagine your neighbors gets jealous, becos your money at exchnage rate far surpass them and you can have and make friends with ppl like ah Swift and these fucktard neighbors all talk bad behind your back and some even blame you for ‘TAKING ADVANTAGE ‘ of them.

Now fully explains why such fucktard like Mr Baht, Mr Ringgit, Ms Peso and Ms Ruppiah ALL CANNOT AND WILL NEVER PROGRESS AND MAKE IT IN LIFE.
Need I say more?😆😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣😆😆😆

I would like Edwin Tong to explain why a billionaire requires “subsidies” to perform in Singapore.

Also, if a person gave $2-24m in “grants”/”subsidies” in exchange for exclusive rights/sole distributorship to a product or service, is that corruption? I hope CPIB can explain the fine line when it becomes corruption.

Taylor Swift’s songs have always been shallow and vapid.

Perfect for a country populated by the shallow and vapid. I never understood the obsession over Taylor Swift. But I guess it makes sense since all the good artists have all gone into slumber.

The $3m per show should be shared with SIA, Hotels etc. It cannot be taxpayers’ pay for the costs but shareholders of private entities reap the rewards even if State collects additional taxes to cover costs. The PAP don’t have business acumen and keep piling costs to us while the fruits are completely enjoyed by other parties. Even during COVID, gave away millions as grants not as interest free loans to the private sector who are all posting profits while GST was increased to the public.

Government shouldn’t interfere and side in profit seeking greedy businesses who are already having very deep pockets.

And why pour more millions to these ultra rich artists who’s net worth is around SGD1.5 billion?

Last edited 7 months ago by Singapore Fooled Again n Again

Pap makes me hate taylor swift!

You know, for a change, Edwin is telling the truth! Singapore spends humongously many more millions in the corrupt f1 and the 2 gambling casinos than this middle age multimillionaire artist that she is. What is 3 millions dollars of taxpayers money to these multimillionaire or even billionaires ministers anyway? It’s not even peanuts ($600,000 is peanuts, according to seat warmer gohchoktong’s wife)

Thai PM mentioned that AEG informed him that SG Gov offering US$ 2 million to 3 million per show in exchange to perform the show exclusive in Singapore. But our minister claim otherwise. Where did AEG got their figures? Was it provided by our SG Gov, which is hugely inflated to entice them for the exclusivity clause to perform in Singapore? If that is the case, doesn’t this prove our Gov has this habit of inflating cost (an integrity issue) in order to max out their return. To me, it is akin to the high cost of our HDB flat,… Read more »

Only stupid oppies with peasant mentality cannot see the benefits that Taylor Swift show in Singapore will bring in billions to Singapore. The airfare, hotel, F&B, grab drivers like yourselves etc are all benefitting!! Stupid fools. Might as well go jump down from MBS and add more spices to the Taylor Swift Shows.

Let there be no doubt, there’ll always be a “cost” involved, … to bring the likes of TaylorSwift “exclusively” to the red dot !!!

Pleaseeeee, … don’t expect transparency when this regime is achieving what no other neighbouring nation has been able to.

Bragging rights is the end result, and the costs involved is, … “kacang putih” lah !!!

So, all of you “swifties”, … just enjoy the show and remember to vote for the people who made all this possible, and remind the same, … to your parents, and parents parents and parents parents parents !!!

I don’t mind to follow as a team .maybe I can get some free tickets….tsk tsk tsk

All these Mega stars are money racking for empires and entertainment for upper class in their 2 States solution the state 1. You think for ordinary ppl. And if you are not given resources, you think you have money to watch as this expenditure is a Want not a Need.

And these elites socializing Yet do not want to be held accountable by being transparent with the accounts!!!

The Airheads snowflake generation fuelling this frenzy…rich parents are paying for it..

Refute. Ask for transparency and show account online. Again no transparency for this PAP administration. Never has and never will. Just hold the citizens CPF as hostage and refuse the give the rights Back!!! Then wanna pretend they do this and that.

Basic of autonomy. Give ppl back their financial autonomy in their own CPF!

Er, who is this?

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