The Cirque du Soleil brought life back into the circus with its unique approach to entertainment, incorporating dance, gymnastics, with digital media and advanced technology to create captivating experiences. Cirque du Soleil is based in Montreal and was founded Guy Laliberté, Gilles Ste-Croix, and Daniel Gauthier in 1984.
Reports today indicate a deal has been reached to sell its assets to American private equity firm TPG Capital and China’s Fosun for an undisclosed amount. Guy Laliberté is tipped to keep a 10 percent stake in the business.
According to the CBC/Radio-Canada, an official announcement will be made in the coming days. It’s unconfirmed if Quebec pension fund manager Caisse de dépôt is part of the investment group.
When the rumours first started about a possible Cirque, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard asked Laliberté to have the company headquarters stay in Montreal. “I want to tell him that for Quebecers, for the government and for all political parties represented here, it is very important not only that the headquarters remain in Montreal, but that the creative activities should also remain in Montreal,” said Couillard.