It’s not every day you see council receiving an ask for $1 million, but at Monday’s meeting, the Lethbridge Hurricanes did just that. The organization put forward their proposal to host the 2020 Memorial Cup.
The tournament brings together the champions of the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to compete for the pinnacle of junior hockey in Canada.
“We’ve got the airport that’s up and running and can take on an event like this, the hotels, the restaurants and the people that have gotten behind similar events of this magnitude that run without a hitch,” said Lethbridge 2020 Memorial Cup Bid committee chair Bill Reddick. “We’re ready.”
Council voted 7-1 to approve the request, with Councillor Joe Mauro the only vote against and Councillor Jeff Coffman absent. The funding will only move forward if Lethbridge is chosen as the host city.
If the bid is successful, the city will provide $750,000 in cash investment incrementally and $250,000 in kind to cover facility costs for the Enmax Centre and Lethbridge Soccer Complex.
“We asked the city treasurer. We’ve accumulated, so far, almost $3 million in surpluses and we can set $1 million of that aside, and we can use that for a bid like this,” Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman said.
The money will come from the city’s Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve as a one-time withdrawal from the 2015 to 2018 operating budget surplus.
The Hurricanes are the only community-owned team vying for the bid, going up against teams in Kamloops, Kelowna and Victoria.
If Lethbridge wins the bid to host the 10-day event, it’s estimated that the city will net close to $13 million in revenue from the event.
The Memorial Cup Board of Governors will vote on Oct. 3 to decide which city will host the tournament.
The 2020 event will mark the the major junior championship’s 102nd tournament.