Tour Tech's $300K loan to help through rough patch

Business has been rough lately for one of the region's best known entertainment production companies, but a $300,000 loan announced this week has things looking up for Tour Tech.

Tour Tech has been forced to lay off 31 members of his staff, it's under creditor protectionand recentlypart of its roof collapsed under the weight of 30 centimetres of ice and snow Feb. 22.

"It was just this large noise just a low rumbling. It wasn't a big snap, it was more of a low sound," said Peter Hendrickson, who owns the building.

The roof collapse happened just two days after Hendrickson started the creditor protection process.

Documents filed by Deloitte show the company owes $5.8 million to 100 creditors.

"It certainly made for a very depressing week, I gottatell you that," said Hendrickson.

The company has made a name for itself, in part, from the mega concerts in our region over the past decade.

Hendrickson's company provided equipment for the Rolling Stones concert on the Halifax Common, nine years ago, and The Eagles concert in Moncton in 2008.

But the region hasn't seen many big names in recent years.

"That definitely has affected our business. It's forced us to be leaner. In the last couple of years we've been doing a lot of work outside this market," said Hendrickson.

U.S. rockers Journey are bringing their tour to Atlantic Canada in August. Tour Tech is providing lighting.

Hendrickson says the $300,000 loan his companyreceived will help it through the next few months.

He said he hasn't stopped believing the giant concert business in Halifax may be turning around, hinting at the possibility of a big act coming this July.

"International superstar act yep, big,big name," said Hendrickson.

"Things are definitely looking up. The bottom line is we'regonnapersevere."