Kelowna will turn into a hockey hub from May 22 to 31, 2020 when it香蕉视频直播檚 the host city for the Canadian Hockey League香蕉视频直播檚 national championship tournament 香蕉视频直播� something it hasn香蕉视频直播檛 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.
香蕉视频直播淲hat an incredible honour it is to be standing here today to know that the Kelowna Rockets will host the 2020 Memorial Cup,香蕉视频直播� Dyas said, from the podium where the announcement was made.
香蕉视频直播淲e cannot wait to welcome hockey fans to a unique event.香蕉视频直播�
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, it香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淲e want to sell it as an entire downtown event,香蕉视频直播� said Hamilton. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e included Tourism Kelowna and the City of Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 parks department (in the bid)香蕉视频直播�. 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.香蕉视频直播�
The idea, explained Hamilton, is that the tournament will become an event for the entire city to revel in.
香蕉视频直播淭here will only be so many tickets for sale, so we have a whole group of people who won香蕉视频直播檛 be in the building and we want to build an atmosphere outside so they will feel like they are a part of it,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Mayor Basran said that the next budget will include $225,000 for Memorial Cup events.
香蕉视频直播淚t will be used for community events and to make sure it is welcoming to all residents,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�
And, at the heart of it all is the Memorial Cup, a trophy that is steeped in Canadian tradition and history.
香蕉视频直播淭he trophy is 101 years old this year,香蕉视频直播� Hamilton said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 in remembrance of soldiers in the early wars. It has a military component to it.香蕉视频直播�
And as the tournament has matured over the years, it香蕉视频直播檚 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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