Brier returning in 2012

Saskatoon’s long-term love affair with the Tim Hortons Brier includes a date for 2012.

Sources say Saskatoon will be awarded the 2012 Brier, with an announcement coming in December or January once details are worked out to the satisfaction of all parties. Warren Hansen, the Canadian Curling Association’s director of event management, confirmed Monday that work between the CCA and Saskatoon is ongoing.

"We’re just trying to pull the ends together," Hansen said. "We don’t make an announcement on events until everything is done. Whenever we get to that point and make it all happen, we’ll work towards awarding it."

All that remains on an agreement is a few final details, say sources. Hansen concedes that Saskatoon’s time has come on the Brier-hosting front. The city set Brier attendance records both in 1989 (151,538) and 2000 (248,793). The latter total has been eclipsed just once in Brier history — that in 2005, when Edmonton drew 281,985.

Saskatoon also hosted the 2004 Brier and attracted 238,129 paying customers, which is sixth all-time.

Previous Saskatoon Brier stops were in 1946 and 1965.

"Saskatoon’s one of our better sites," Hansen said. "There’s four or five places across Canada where we know the event will do extremely well, and Saskatoon’s one of them, without question.

"It’s probably about time we’re back there."

Curl Saskatoon president Warren Klassen said he couldn’t say much about the chase for a Brier until the CCA makes it official with an announcement.

"We’re hoping and preparing for the possibility, but they have to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s," said Klassen, whose group works closely with the CCA on hosting incoming events. "Until they do that, we have to sit."

Credit Union Centre, which would be the host venue, added approximately 3,000 seats for the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship, bringing capacity just under 15,000.

Hansen said Saskatoon could also be considered for a world men’s championship or Olympic Trials in future years.

"Alberta and Saskatchewan are the places where our events can do the best in Canada, because of the high concentration of curlers per capita," Hansen said. "The sport in the prairie region is stronger than anywhere else in the country. You roll all that together, along with the economic circumstances of Alberta and Saskatchewan being the best in Canada, and that all contributes to making those two provinces ideal for the hosting of our championships."

The 2011 Brier will be held in London, Ont.