City of Lethbridge: Winning Touring Acts Over Regional Competitors

How the City of Lethbridge uses PAC io to manage 170+ annual shows and events while strengthening promoter relationships.

The Challenge: Bottlenecks Cost Bookings

The City of Lethbridge operates two busy entertainment venues: the Yates Theatre and VisitLethbridge.com Arena, as well as supports a separate City of Lethbridge department, The Galt Museum. Between concert tours, rentals, and theatrical productions from resident companies, New West Theatre, Hurricanes hockey games, and assisting with builds for the Galt Museum events, the Ticket Centre manages more than 170 show builds annually.

With their previous ticketing vendor, even simple tasks required submitting support cases and waiting days for completion. Want to update an image on the website? Submit a case. Need to rename a price type? Submit a case. Building an event with a familiar seating map? Submit another case and wait hours for the copy.

These delays created a competitive disadvantage. When touring acts route through Alberta, promoters choose between venues in Lethbridge, nearby communities 90 minutes away, and Calgary two hours north. Speed matters. If Lethbridge hesitated while competitors said yes, they lost the show.

The Solution: Self-Service Tools and Support That Understands Urgency

PAC io Maps transformed the event build process by putting control directly in staff hands. Tasks that previously required submitting cases and waiting days now take minutes. Copying seating configurations, adjusting price levels, or setting up a familiar theater layout happens instantly without back-and-forth with client support.

The self-service approach proved especially valuable for the theaters. The New West Theatre alone produces 90 to 100 shows per year. Standard configurations like the "portable theater" setup in the arena can be copied and customized on demand.

When Lethbridge staff do need assistance, Paciolan's support team responds with an understanding of what's at stake. "They really jump in and help," Mehew says. "They're quick and receptive to finding an answer and helping us accomplish our end goal."

PAC Live, the modern ticket buyer’s mobile friendly e-commerce experience, provides patrons with a streamlined purchase experience across all venues, from theater productions to hockey games to museum entry.

The VisitLethbridge.com Arena map (left) and the Yates Theatre seat map (right).

The Results: Faster Builds, Happier Promoters, More Shows

The efficiency gains created a ripple effect. Sarah Ironside, Ticket Center Coordinator, now sees announcement-to-pre-sale windows as tight as five days. The responsiveness they have with Paciolan strengthens trust with promoters routing tours through the region.

"We’ve found that if we're able to give promoters a quick turnaround, they are extremely happy, and we see a lot of them returning because of it," Mehew notes. One promoter brought four shows to Lethbridge in January alone, a direct result of the venue's ability to move quickly.

The operational improvements extend beyond winning bookings. Staff efficiency increased, overhead decreased, and job satisfaction improved. When basic tasks no longer require submitting cases and waiting, ticketing operators spend their time on higher-value work.

For a Ticket Centre managing two venues and competing for touring acts against larger markets, speed is a strategic advantage.