With the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ home field loss to the Calgary Stampeders Saturday, the feeble dreams of the few remaining fans hoping for a miracle playoff run were crushed.
However, while the Riders may officially be out of contention for both the CFL playoffs and the chance to contest the 109th Grey Cup on home turf, optimism still abounds for some still hoping for a boon from the big game.
The game is a sellout, organizers are predicting a large economic payoff, and the maligned hospitality industry is preparing for one of its busiest weekends of the year as the championship and accompanying festival take over town.
“We did a quick poll on our members last week,” said Regina Hotel Association Marketing and Communications Director Shari McCannel.
“What we found is that many hotels are still, currently, completely sold out, but there are members now that have had a few rooms become available due to recent cancellations.”
According to the Regina Hotel Association, there are over 3,800 hotel rooms at the city’s 32 hotels.
Prior to the pandemic, the local industry employed over 1,400 people.
“Major events, in general, especially the Grey Cup, have a huge impact on our local hospitality industry,” McCannel said.
“They’re a welcome boost to our economy, and they’re a lead indicator that restaurants, pubs, taxis and our local airports will be busy as well.”
Meanwhile, a study conducted by Sport Tourism Canada earlier this year concluded the 108th Grey Cup and festival in Hamilton generated a $34.8-million economic impact in Ontario.
“It’s tricky to determine what kind of impacts the Riders not being in the playoffs are going to play on our final occupancy numbers,” said McCannel.
“But I can tell you that in 2013 when the Riders were in the Grey our hotel sector ran at 94-per cent occupancy.”
Meanwhile, Roughriders columnist Rob Vanstone offered a few more reasons for fans to remain optimistic as the Rider-less Grey Cup game approaches.
“It’s just so intoxicating for the Grey Cup to be in Regina that I think people can excuse that,” he said.
“You can go to the venues. Everything’s affordable. You can mingle. You’ll probably run into some of the players around town, maybe some of the candidates for the CFL player awards. You can probably have a beer with your favourite player if you’re in the right place at the right time.
“That’s the charm of the Grey Cup Festival, that’s the charm of the league and that doesn’t change one iota on account of what’s happened with the roughriders this season.”
On the Riders 2022 season though, which concludes next week with a final game against the Stampeders, Vanstone painted a less rosy picture.
“I would maybe call the season a circus, although that may be misleading as I think people actually enjoy the circus, whereas the Roughriders home games and road games by and large have been pretty much an ordeal since mid-July,” he said of the team’s record which sits at 6 and 11 with one game to go.
“But the franchise have overcome things infinitely worse than this. Its always come through and it will come through again.”
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