"When we look at the group sales, I'd say it's on par with some of the top-tier cities we've been to," Jack G. Lucas, president of Spokane-based WestCoast Entertainment, told The Advertiser today from Spokane.

Lucas, who'll be in Honolulu tomorrow, did not release figures for the group tickets of 20 or more which became available in January through Hawaii Opera Theatre.

Lucas is planning to make "an event" of the individual ticket sales opening Saturday at the Blaisdell Center box office, which starts at 5 a.m.

There willl be food, entertainment and prize giveaways.

"We're happy with the group sale numbers but we have a lot of inventory left to sell," Lucas said. "In this business, you can always be happier.

"The 'Lion King' is a phenomenon and my advice to ticket buyers is not to wait and buy early," Lucas said.

The production could be worth up to $30 million to the city's economy, according to the presenters.

The initial block of group tickets that went on sale was for the first six weeks of the production, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 28. The concert hall is booked, however, through Dec. 10 for expected extensions.