ELLENTON, Fla. – Ringling Bros. circus says it is closing down "The Greatest Show on Earth," following a 146-year run.
Feld Entertainment Inc., which is parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, announced Saturday that the circus will hold its final performances later this year.
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Feld Entertainment said the decision to end the circus tours was made as a result of high costs along with a decline in ticket sales, making the circus an unsustainable business for the company.
The company said it saw a decline in ticket sales greater than could have been anticipated following the transition of the elephants off the circus.
"Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey was the original property on which we built Feld Entertainment into a global producer of live entertainment over the past 50 years," Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment Kenneth Feld said. "We are grateful to the hundreds of millions of fans who have experienced Ringling Bros. over the years. Between now and May, we will give them one last chance to experience the joy and wonder of Ringling Bros."
"This was a difficult business decision to make, but by ending the circus tours, we will be able to concentrate on the other lines of business within the Feld Entertainment portfolio," Feld Entertainment’s Chief Operating Officer Juliette Feld said. "Now that we have made this decision, as a company, and as a family, we will strive to support our circus performers and crew in making the transition to new opportunities."
Ringling Bros.' two circus units will conclude their tours with their final shows at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., on May 7, and at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., on May 21, Feld Entertainment said.
Complete details on the remaining performances can be found online here.
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