“I have made the difficult business decision that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will hold its final performances in May of this year,” CEO Kenneth Feld said.
High operating costs and the decline of ticket sales “made the circus an unsustainable business for the company.” And after “the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop” in ticket sales, Feld said.
For years, the elephants have been in the spotlight and their dance routines featured prominently in the shows. But due to mounting criticism from animal rights groups, the Ringling Bros. phased out the elephant acts entirely.
Before taking the final bow, the Ringling Bros., will perform 30 shows across the United States between now and May. CLICK HERE for more.
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