This tag was created by Tyler Hodgkinson. 

Carleton Place Heritage Project - Part 2

New Performers For a New Crowd

The Ontario Liquor Agencies raid killed the hotel's fanbase, crowds were diminishing and the Lemay family was in dire need of new streams of revenue to keep the hotel in operation. To achieve this, Lorraine had the idea to change the target demographic and aim to attract younger viewers by featuring rock bands opposed to the country performers that had previously dominated The Mississippi's stage [14]. Groups such as Metagenesis (sometimes referred to as the Murray Reid Group), Gleneagle, and many more were featured [15]. However, the introduction of the rock bands came with its faults, the bands were expensive to book and persuaded a great majority of the hotel's longtime residents to jump ship due to the loud nature of the bands [16], one commenter shares their experience viewing the Murray Reid Group expressing that their intro of a helicopter had sounded like one was actualy landing inside the hotel [17]. Conversations with Linda Secaspina (spouse of previous owner) revealed that the building required extensive upkeep as well [18]. These factors combined with local competition from The Queens Hotel just down the street [10], placed even greater financial pressures on Lemay to a point where they saw it necessary to find yet another means of income. The introduction of strippers on Friday and Saturday nights [20] was thought to be a fitting solution. The changes were successful! Shows were again packed, And crowds grew once again with groups of one hundred to two hundred people being reported around the hotel shortly after closing time [21]. 

notes:
14. Wayne Drummond (Retired Chief Of Police) in discussion with the author, April 10, 2022.
15. Kevin Kenedy, 2022 “Metagenesis and Gleneagle” Facebook Comment, March 16, 2022 
16. Linda Seccaspina,“Romancing the Mississippi Hotel.” Lindaseccaspina Remembers the Invention of The Wheel. April 24 2017
17.TammyMarion, 2022. “I remember seeing The Murray Reid Group…” Facebook Comment, March 15, 2022
18. Linda Seccaspina (Spouse of previous hotel owner) in discussion with the author, April 8, 2022. 
19. Wayne Drummond (Retired Chief Of Police) in discussion with the author, April 10, 2022.
20. Wayne Drummond in discussion with the author
21. Wayne Drummond in discussion with the author

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