World-class events always seem to be making their way to Penticton and that doesnsa国际传媒檛 sit well with Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran.

sa国际传媒淗ow many years must Kelowna residents watch shows and concerts bypass Kelowna and go to Penticton,sa国际传媒� he asked during a radio interview on AM 1150 last week.

The South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton has welcomed Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, and the Harlem Globetrotters in 2022 alone, with the pending arrival of Ringo Starr set for Oct. 9. Not to mention, the venuesa国际传媒檚 hosting of John Fogerty, Rihanna, Megadeth, Bad Company, Chicago and Carrie Underwood over the last several years.

Basransa国际传媒檚 comments came in response to Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Prospera Place missing out on hosting the 2023 Memorial Cup due to sa国际传媒渟ignificant deficienciessa国际传媒� at the facility.

The city was set to host the 2020 edition of the CHL tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic put a wrench in those plans. Kelowna is still waiting to once again be home to the prestigious Canadian junior hockey finals, as a result.

A recent audit commissioned by the Kelowna Rockets found that Prospera Place does not meet the CHLsa国际传媒檚 standards for hosting the Memorial Cup, something that appeared to have prompted Basran to think about Penticton and the current state of its facility.

Rockets statement regarding the 2023 Memorial Cup:

sa国际传媒� Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets)

The 2023 Memorial Cup will instead be played in Kamloops.

Even though the SOEC regularly welcomes high-profile acts sa国际传媒� most recently Canadian country star Dallas Smith on June 3 sa国际传媒� Kelowna isnsa国际传媒檛 exactly getting the short end of the stick in the entertainment category.

Award-winning rockers Greta Van Fleet and Bryan Adams will appear at Prospera Place this August and November, respectively.

logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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