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.
When the Kelowna Rockets play host to the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday, there is potential for the assembled masses to arrive in rather a celebratory mood.
While it will be the Giants first visit of the campaign, the team many prognosticators have pegged as the BC Division champions, their presence could prove to be but a secondary consideration.
You see, the Western Hockey League will have made its decision by then regarding the 2020 Memorial Cup. The league will play host to the event, which is being pursued by the cities of Kelowna, Kamloops and Lethbridge. Victoria pulled out of the bidding process a few weeks ago.
Fond memories of the 2004 Memorial Cup week and the championship won by the host team, continue to linger in Kelowna. To wit, what would it be like for the Rockets to hoist another Memorial Cup on home ice?
“It’s really special,” said Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets president and general manager. “I think one thing I learned after we won it here, you learn in a hurry to never take anything for granted and never, ever let off the gas pedal enjoying everything that’s going on.
“It would be great to get the opportunity and I really hope we do because I think our city deserves another crack at it.”
Kelowna’s bid to host the 86th edition of the Memorial Cup in 2004 was chosen over bids from Calgary, Vancouver and Lethbridge. The Rockets went on to win the tournament as the host team. Then called Skyreach Centre, which opened in 1999 with a capacity of 6,007 was packed throughout the week, along with a myriad of well-attended festive outdoor events.
In an article penned by Ron Seymour of the Kelowna Daily Courier in April, 2018, it was reported that Kelowna was credited with re-imagining the hosting of the
Memorial Cup, engaging even non-hockey fans with a variety of community events.
“We started something here. It wasn’t just a hockey tournament,” Hamilton told Seymour. “It became a festival, and that’s how you get more people involved.”
The city also bid to host the 2013 Memorial Cup, committing a guarantee of $1.7 million to the Canadian Hockey League. However, when the Saskatoon Blades bid promised $3.5 million, including significant taxpayer monies, it was no contest.
According to Seymour, Hamilton said, “Saskatoon was the last to bid, and they walked up, and $3 million, and bang, it was gone.”
For the 2020 bid, the host committee is busy with preparation for the presentation by Tom Dyas, a Kelowna businessman and key member of the Chamber of Commerce. In recent weeks, Dyas has also thrown his hat into the ring in the race for Mayor.
Efforts include discussions to secure any available government funding, preparing the video presentation for the league governors, nailing down the financial aspects of the bid and securing the building lease for the specific dates. Projecting ticket sales, along with advertising and sponsorship revenue are also key pieces within the proposal.
From the Rockets perspective, potential roster strength is also an important consideration.
“I think the league has already done its due diligence on the rosters, we had to submit those a while ago,” Hamilton told DUBNetwork during Rockets training camp. “In our case, we’ll have five 19-year-olds this year and I would be pretty surprised if we didn’t have three of those back as overagers. I think they’re all significant players.
“Then there’s (Kaedan) Korczak and (Nolan) Foote, along with our import selection (Lasse) Thomson. These are all high-end guys. We’ve got good depth there.”
The Rockets possess a strong 19-year-old group this season with the likes of Leif Mattson, Erik Gardiner, Jack Cowell, Kyle Topping and Connor Bruggen-Cate.
Securing the bid might also be beneficial in terms of recruitment.
“It certainly helps,” Hamilton said. “If there is anyone here (training camp) that is looking at other options, knowing all of a sudden you’re going to play in the Memorial Cup is a nice plum to throw their way.
“But I’m not sure it’s as big a thing here as maybe in other centres. The mandate from me to our staff is to draft the best player available. If he’s committed to college, we’ll work to get him here, to change his mind.
“You win some and you lose some. If you start picking around who will come and who won’t come, you’re not picking the best player.”
The 2020 Memorial Cup is scheduled for May 22-31.
In past years at Prospera Place, the Rockets have been involved in hosting the 2000 WHL All-Star Game, round-robin games at the 2006 World Junior Championship, 2009 and 2015 CHL Canada Russia Super Series games and the 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
