Story highlights The decline of ticket sales helped lead to the moveTaking elephants off the road and high operating costs hurt the business(CNN) The Ringling Bros. circus is closing down after more than 100 years in operation, according to a press release from Feld Entertainment, which has owned the circus for the last 50 years. "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," Feld said. And after "the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop" in ticket sales, Feld said. Before taking the final bow, the Ringling Bros., will perform 30 shows across the United States between now and May.

Source: CNN January 15, 2017 04:18 UTC