Edmonton’s Starlite Room building up for sale as venue faces financial struggles

On most weekends, Edmonton’s renowned live music venue, the Starlite Room, can look full.

But the bright lights, heavy sounds, and energetic atmosphere could face a dimmer future if its finances don’t improve, the owners of the Starlight Room, have listed their downtown building for sale, but they are hoping to keep the music alive with a new landlord to help provide stability.

“It’s hard, however, it’s also a giant weight lifted off our shoulders to let people know that we are still struggling,” said Tyson Boyd, the owner of the Starlite Room.

Boyd says the venue is still paying off pandemic-related debt and hasn’t seen customer numbers bounce back.

Pair that with inflation and a decline in liquor consumption, the Starlight Room’s single biggest source of income.

“People are just simply drinking less. So, that’s a factor that we have been trying to move past, but we don’t know the answer, and that’s a little bit bigger than us because it’s industry-wide,” Boyd explained.

The announcement of the sale comes just three days after Soho on Jasper Avenue closed its doors permanently, sharing the update on Facebook, not specifying what led to the closure.

Boyd says this is a sign of trouble for live music in Edmonton and is wanting government intervention.

“There’s places, like in Europe, where they look at investing in the venues as supporting the artists directly because then they’re giving the artists the best platform,” said Boyd.

A spokesperson for Alberta’s Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Women says while they provide funding to non-profits, Alberta does not provide funding for private businesses or music venues, telling CityNews in a statement they recently held a music sector roundtable

“Through the feedback and information gathered at that roundtable, we are developing a provincial action plan that will ensure Alberta’s music sector continues to grow.”

Boyd says the Starlite Room still has some time on its side. He’s optimistic a solution is within reach but says there’s only a few months before even more difficult decisions come into play.