This weekend's Elton John concert should have been a coup for the northern Ontario city of Sudbury.

But a controversy over choice tickets that went to members of Sudbury's city council has tainted the good news of a big star playing in a small city.

Councillors bought 120 tickets to the show before the box office opened to the general public, causing outrage among fans who saw no reason why they should be able to jump the line.

Now 71 of the tickets have been returned to the promoter, at the request Mayor John Rodriguez.

However, 49 of the tickets could not be retrieved as they have already been sold to family or friends or given to charity.

Rodriguez said he asked councillors to return the tickets to put a stop to the controversy, admitting he hadn't anticipated the outrage over councillors getting first dibs on tickets.

"We wanted the public and we wanted the media to focus on the good news — the good news is the concert. And we wanted you the media to focus on the concert," Rodriguez told CBC News.

"And as long as the tickets were out there in the hands of the councillors, that was the news and you kept pursuing that."

It's now up to the promoter to decide whether the returned tickets will be sold or given away, Rodriguez said.

The show sold out in minutes when tickets went on sale, leaving thousands of fans disappointed.

The practice of promoters offering tickets first to city councillors also takes place in other cities.

In Kitchener, Ont., the site of John's other Canadian concert, members of council each got a free ticket and bought another 54 for family and friends.

The Kitchener councillors say they have no intention of returning tickets to the promoter.

With files from the Canadian Press