Kelowna will turn into a hockey hub from May 22 to 31, 2020 when itsa国际传媒檚 the host city for the Canadian Hockey Leaguesa国际传媒檚 national championship tournament sa国际传媒� something it hasnsa国际传媒檛 been since 2004.
Tom Dyas was in Calgary Tuesday for the Memorial Cup bid announcement, as chairperson of the bid committee that included Bruce Hamilton, Gavin Hamilton, Anne-Marie Hamilton, Mayor Colin Basran and Harvey Hubball.
sa国际传媒淲hat an incredible honour it is to be standing here today to know that the Kelowna Rockets will host the 2020 Memorial Cup,sa国际传媒� Dyas said, from the podium where the announcement was made.
sa国际传媒淲e cannot wait to welcome hockey fans to a unique event.sa国际传媒�
Among the main criteria for teams bidding to host the Memorial Cup is guaranteeing a substantial financial return to the Western Hockey League and having adequate infrastructure in place, such as the arena and hotels.
Hamilton, the Rockets president and general manager, said with the Rockets footing the bill for the season-end championship, the club will offer a kickback of somewhere between $1.5 and $2 million to the WHL.
Local economic spin-off may be even greater.
With restaurants, hotels and other businesses in high demand for 10 days, itsa国际传媒檚 estimated the 2020 championship will pump a minimum of $12 to $15 million into the local economy.
Non-game events in the 2004 event included tents, displays and kiosks surrounding the arena, creating a bona fide, festival-like atmosphere and Hamilton said the Rockets plan to up the ante in 2020.
sa国际传媒淲e want to sell it as an entire downtown event,sa国际传媒� said Hamilton. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e included Tourism Kelowna and the City of Kelownasa国际传媒檚 parks department (in the bid)sa国际传媒�. they will be a part of making the event a bit bigger than it was in 2004. We want to spread it out beyond just in front of the arena, throughout the downtown. We envision Stuart Park having something, as well as the bandstand behind the Delta Grand.sa国际传媒�
The idea, explained Hamilton, is that the tournament will become an event for the entire city to revel in.
sa国际传媒淭here will only be so many tickets for sale, so we have a whole group of people who wonsa国际传媒檛 be in the building and we want to build an atmosphere outside so they will feel like they are a part of it,sa国际传媒� he said.
Mayor Basran said that the next budget will include $225,000 for Memorial Cup events.
sa国际传媒淚t will be used for community events and to make sure it is welcoming to all residents,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 fantastic. This is going to be a tremendous event, we will be showcased on a national stage and it will be a great boost to our local economy.sa国际传媒�
And, at the heart of it all is the Memorial Cup, a trophy that is steeped in Canadian tradition and history.
sa国际传媒淭he trophy is 101 years old this year,sa国际传媒� Hamilton said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 in remembrance of soldiers in the early wars. It has a military component to it.sa国际传媒�
And as the tournament has matured over the years, itsa国际传媒檚 been able to capture attention in a way that many others of its kind have not, by knitting together this country in sport.
RELATED: Kelowna now one of three vying for 2020 Memorial Cup tournament
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