On May 23, 2004, Tom Dyas was among the 6,577 captivated fans inside Prospera Place who witnessed the making of Kelowna hockey history.

As hosts of the Canadian Hockey League香蕉视频直播檚 national championship for the first time, the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 2-1 to secure the franchise香蕉视频直播檚 first ever Memorial Cup title.

Celebrating alongside Dyas in the stands on that warm, spring Okanagan day was his father, 83-year-old Harry, and Tom香蕉视频直播檚 son, Lyndon.

香蕉视频直播淚t was electric, an amazing feeling, unforgettable to see that and be part of it,香蕉视频直播� Dyas said of the 2004 Memorial Cup. 香蕉视频直播淭o see the home team win, in that atmosphere, it香蕉视频直播檚 something you never forget.

香蕉视频直播淏eing here now to help with this bid, it香蕉视频直播檚 like turning back the hands of time,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I told dad about the fact that Kelowna was bidding again, he said he香蕉视频直播檚 looking forward to being at this (Memorial Cup), too. He香蕉视频直播檒l be 99.香蕉视频直播�

With Dyas serving as the point man for the bid committee, the Rockets have thrown their hat in the ring to host the Memorial Cup tournament for the second time in 2020.

Last week, Dyas and the Kelowna contingent, headed up by Rockets香蕉视频直播� GM Bruce Hamilton and including Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, spent several days in Regina at the 2018 Memorial Cup.

Kelowna 2020 Bid Committee is in Regina meeting w/ officials, , to sharpen their bid for 2020 in Kelowna. TY for your great hospitality & good luck to all!

香蕉视频直播� Kelowna Rockets #HumboldtStrong (@Kelowna_Rockets)

Dyas said the visit was an important step in the process as the Rockets continue to fine-tune and strengthen their bid for 2020.

香蕉视频直播淚t went well, it gave us a chance to connect with local committees there and to see what they had in place,香蕉视频直播� said Dyas, the Rockets香蕉视频直播� 2020 bid chairman. 香蕉视频直播淭he process of accreditation, the tracking of volunteers and setting that up, from national anthems to VIPs and a number of other areas that are involved in an event of his magnitude. I would say we (Kelowna committee) have most of the boxes ticked already, but it was very useful to see the events as they were taking place.香蕉视频直播�

RELATED: Rockets to bid on 2020 Memorial Cup

Among the main criteria for teams bidding to host the Memorial Cup is guaranteeing a substantial financial return to the Western Hockey League and its member teams, having adequate infrastructure in place, such as the arena and hotels, and icing a competitive team.

The Rockets met all those standards for the 2004 event and Bruce Hamilton fully expects the same to hold true for the 2020 tournament.

With the Rockets footing the bill for the season-end championship, Hamilton anticipates the club will offer a kickback of somewhere between $1.5 and $2 million to the WHL.

In order to meet those commitments, and with the ever-increasing costs of hosting a national sporting event, Hamilton said community support will be vital.

香蕉视频直播淗aving it here, so much of it will be based on season tickets,香蕉视频直播� Hamilton said. 香蕉视频直播淭he guarantee is that fans get to see at least three, maybe four, of the best teams in the country.

香蕉视频直播淲e already have one of the largest season-ticket bases in the CHL and if we can beef that up,香蕉视频直播� he added, 香蕉视频直播渨e can show them there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be no problem in us hosting this again.香蕉视频直播�

In 2004, Hamilton said the Rockets pushed the non-game events to a new level, with tents, displays and kiosks surrounding the arena, creating a bona fide, festival-like atmosphere.

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香蕉视频直播檙e partnering with Tourism Kelowna, and we香蕉视频直播檙e going to really make this an event for the downtown core, where people really feel like they香蕉视频直播檙e part of something.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檒l have people coming in from all over the country at a nice time of the year and we want them to remember it.香蕉视频直播�

Along with the considerable expense of hosting the Memorial Cup comes significant economic spin-offs for Kelowna. With restaurants, hotels and other businesses in high demand for 10 days, it香蕉视频直播檚 estimated the 2020 championship would pump a minimum of $12 to $15 million into the local economy.

Competition to host the 2020 tournament is expected to come from a pair of the Rockets香蕉视频直播� B.C. Division rivals, the Victoria Royals and Kamloops Blazers.

Like Bruce Hamilton, Royals general manager Cam Hope said community support and quality amenities will be crucial to each bid.

香蕉视频直播淲e think we香蕉视频直播檝e done a pretty good job in that regard,香蕉视频直播� said Hope. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e one of the few teams that香蕉视频直播檚 increased our attendance year after year. We have a good track record in the city for hosting events. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think that necessarily distinguishes us from Kelowna and Kamloops香蕉视频直播�but our infrastucture is set up for tourism, we have an international airport nearby, a huge number of hotels and a vibrant downtown area.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think the WHL could go wrong with any of the three teams,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we香蕉视频直播檙e a younger team, Victoria has never hosted before, so we feel like we香蕉视频直播檙e ready.香蕉视频直播�

Teams bidding for the 2020 Memorial Cup will make their final presentations to an independent selection panel on Oct. 2 and 3 in Calgary.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .