Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who admitted it was nice to see Calgary and Edmonton working together for once, said the event will showcase everything the province has to offer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is no secret that Albertans are some of the most passionate and boisterous hockey fans on Earth. Albertans live and breathe hockey, with two NHL teams who call our province home, and have world-class venues like Edmonton\u2019s Ice District and Calgary\u2019s new arena, Scotia Place and entertainment district,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tournament will be an Alberta celebration, one that extends beyond Calgary and Edmonton. Additional venues and entertainers from across Alberta will be invited to join in on related initiatives such as the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and the Alberta community Fan Fest program and also indigenous cultural programming.\u201d<\/p>\n
The impact of the World Cup will echo far beyond the rink, Smith said, and is expected to generate more than $370 million in revenue, support over 43,000 jobs, and deliver nearly 172,000 hotel night stays.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will bring Alberta well on its way to meeting our ambitious goal of $25 billion in annual visitor spending and with every dollar spent, local economies grow, small businesses thrive and our communities prosper,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be Alberta\u2019s time to shine right alongside the action on ice.\u201d<\/p>\n
NHL commissioner visited Calgary, Mayor Farkas<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman toured the Scotia Place build site and attended a Flames\u2019 game alongside Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.<\/p>\n
Before the official announcement, Farkas said it would make a lot of sense to host the Cup during the new arena\u2019s debut season, but there will be plenty of opportunities to host events.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a huge business case for investing here in Calgary and we know that it\u2019s not just the World Cup of Hockey. Of course, I support the bid, but it\u2019s also other events that we\u2019re going to be much more competitive in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to be continuing to make that pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alisha Reynolds, president and CEO, Tourism Calgary, said that events like the World Cup don\u2019t come around often, and when they do, you have to jump on the opportunity to host.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext to the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, stands among the most prestigious international sporting events a city can host. Bringing this tournament to Alberta is an incredible opportunity to showcase our province to the world, and it\u2019s the culmination of months of work by partners across Alberta that saw our bid selected ahead of all other North American destinations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tournament will take place during the winter months, helping us continue to grow tourism in Calgary across all seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the tangible positives, events like this create moments, Reynolds said.<\/p>\n
\u201cKids sitting on the edge of their couch, fans on the edge of their seats, where Calgary fans cheering the loudest, moments like this help our communities come together, where fans from around the world get to experience our legendary Alberta hospitality, and where Calgarians get to welcome the world in the way we know how best, with white hats and with warm Western hospitality,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Scotia Place will be ready: Officials guarantee the building\u2019s timeline<\/p>\n
Robert Hayes, president and CEO, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), said that in preparation for the bid, he toured Scotia Place three times in the last month and is certain the building will not be delayed.<\/p>\n
Scotia Place is the centrepiece of Calgary\u2019s $1.25 billion investment into the Victoria Park area, and the burgeoning Culture and Entertainment District just outside the city\u2019s downtown core. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very on time. There should be no concerns whatsoever, and the NHL sees it from that perspective as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Once the Flames\u2019 new home is ready, the deconstruction of the Saddledome will not be up to CSEC, Hayes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Saddledome will be owned by the city once we vacate it; you\u2019d have to talk to them for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though many numbers are not yet available, the Government of Canada has committed to an $8 million funding envelope, which will be used for the hosting efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith said this is the first time her government has participated in this kind of bid process and will be contributing up to $15 million, and will continue working on the best destination marketing to support the event.<\/p>\n
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