Former Cirque du Soleil tents to be used in Haiti

The Haitian government will soon receive numerous large tents formerly used by Cirque du Soleil. The tents will temporarily house the Port-au-Prince government, says Tom Schrade, a real estate developer from Nevada who donated the tents. Schrade purchased the 30,000-square-foot tents, which are equipped with interior and exterior lighting, HVAC systems, toilets and furniture, from Cirque du Soleil for about $5 million. Economic hardship prevented Schrade from using them at a hotel in Reno, Nev. as planned.

The Conrad Hilton Foundation is funding the shipment of the tents to Haiti, and the William J. Clinton Foundation will ensure the delivery of the tents to Port-au-Prince. Schrade hired technicians to travel to the site to supervise tent installation.