This is part of a three part series on DUBNetwork highlighting each of the three options for hosting the Memorial Cup in 2020. We will be running our articles in the same order the teams will be presenting their bids at the Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday: Kamloops, Kelowna, and then Lethbridge.
If someone could choose a Memorial Cup host, any junior hockey city from across Canada. Forget about the WHL vs OHL vs QMJHL, throw all of those bias’ away. Don’t worry about the quality of a host team or the amount of money the ownership guarantees. What would the perfect characteristics be? History and beauty? Does the venue or travel come into account? What about the Hotels and Nightlife? Is Kamloops the perfect choice? That comes down to personal preference. Is Kamloops the right choice? Definitely.
City
Kamloops, British Columbia is the Tournament Capital of Canada. The city has hosted and continues to host numerous high profile sporting events including:
- 1993 Canada Summer Games
- 2014 Tim Hortons Brier (Canadian Men’s Curling Championships)
- 2014 Hockey Canada Four Nations Cup (Women’s Hockey)
- 2016 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships
- and more here
To say Kamloops is a favourite of Hockey Canada is an understatement. The organizational body obviously recognized how well the Tournament Capital puts on events, as they recently choose Kamloops as the host city for the 2018 World Junior Summer Showcase. While the attendance wasn’t quite where they wanted it, everything else associated with the event went off without a hitch. So much so, that during the tournament team USA announced their World Junior training camp will be held at the Sandman Centre.
Kamloops is a city with a population just shy of 100,000 located in the heart of the interior of BC, The Trans
Canada highway passes directly through the city, and their international airport (YKA) is only 10 minutes from downtown. No doubt travel is important when choosing a host for the National Junior Championship, and Kamloops passes with flying colours.
The Tournament Capital is not only a sporting hotbed but also a tourism hotbed. The city hosted 1.65 Million visitors in 2015 and that number will no doubt keep increasing. There are over 100 hotels in and around Kamloops, they range from some of the most luxurious brands like Hilton to some of the staples like Best Western, or Ramada. Not to mention there is a Brand New (2014) Sandman Signature directly across the street from the Sandman Centre.
Arena – Sandman Centre
The Sandman Centre was built in 1992 and was originally named “Riverside Coliseum”. The 5,465 seat arena (5583 sell-out with standing room) features an open concourse and two gondola levels. The 200-level spans both sides of the ice surface creating a unique atmosphere where the fans appear to be right on top of the players. The 300-level on one side is home to the media gondola and the other side is the location of the brand new Loge seating. Loge seating has become an absolute must for new arenas. Think of it as an upscale experience, with table service for both food and drink, high tables so you can still see the action, and a relaxing atmosphere during the intermissions. The Sandman Centre also boasts incredibly bright LED lighting to assist in the broadcast of games in High Definition and colored LED floodlights to illuminate the ice any color of the rainbow.
Arena Surroundings
The area around a venue is just as important, if not more important the actual venue itself. Outside the Sandman Centre, the Plaza and surrounding area are dare I say, best in the Western Hockey League. There is a massive brick-laden area for any number of vendors and displays. Directly along the river, there is historic Riverside Park which boasts acres of grass, a bandshell perfect for accommodating outdoor concerts, and plenty more. To the south of the building is a pedestrian walking bridge which allows fans to walk directly over the CN railroad tracks towards the heart of downtown.
Beside the walking bridge is the Sandman Signature Hotel. Opened in 2014 the 202 room hotel is the perfect place for the teams, media, and well, pretty much anyone else who would want to hang their hat in Kamloops during the nine-day event.
History
The Kamloops Blazers franchise is one of the most storied franchises in the entire Western Hockey League. From 1989-to-1995 the franchise won four WHL Championships, three Memorial Cups, and finished with over 100 regular season points five times. During this time the River City was home to players such as Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi, Darryl Sydor, Scott Niedermayer, Darcy Tucker & Corey Hirsch. All of whom are sure to talk fondly of the city they came to know as home. 2020 also happens to be the 25th anniversary of the 1995 Memorial Cup where the host Kamloops Blazers beat the OHL’s Detroit Junior Red Wings to win the franchises third Memorial Cup in four years and solidify that group of players as one of the best junior hockey teams ever assembled.
Also, as an aside, If there is any chance for fans to see a throwback jersey to the 1994-95 season, this is it.
There are so many great cities across the WHL and every one of them can make a case to host the CHL’s National Championship.
In 2020, there are lot’s of right choices, but one great choice is Kamloops, British Columbia.
