There has been much media ado over Conan O’Brien’s impending visit to Hogtown.

The gabfest host and his New York City retinue, recruited by Canada’s Walk of Fame founder Peter Soumalias, will shoot four episodes of Late Night with Conan O’Brien shtick in Toronto in mid-February.

The Conan-in-Toronto initiative was spurred by Soumalias and Toronto-native Lorne Michaels, Late Night’s co-executive producer, in an effort to help purge the city of its damaged reputation lingering from the SARS outbreak last year.

The show, to be filmed at the Elgin Theatre during sweeps week, will air nightly Feb. 10-13, at 12:35 a.m. (simulcast with NBC) on CHUM’s The New RO in Ottawa, The New VI in Victoria, The New VR in Barrie, ON, The New PL in London, ON, The New NX in Wingham, ON and The New WI in Windsor, ON. O’Brien has already reportedly been to the city to shoot segments.

It will air again nationwide each evening at 10 p.m. on the Star! specialty station.

However, critics have questioned the contribution of public funds to the tune of $1 million for the event, arguing there is little evidence of benefit to the community or Toronto’s international reputation.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation dubbed the initiative an ‘outrageous farce’ in a Vancouver Sun opinion piece, and Toronto Star media critic Antonia Zerbisias also questioned government sponsorship of the event.

The cast, crew and designers will largely be from New York, although the set will be built locally. Organizers did not confirm the number of workers who will be involved in its construction.

But organizers, comparing the event to the government-sponsored Rolling Stones’ SARS concert last July, say that Toronto is bound to come out ahead as a result of U.S. publicity, which is expected to spur new tourism initiatives.