A local group is seeking to bring the 2013 Mastercard Memorial Cup to Prince George.
The Memorial Cup is the top honour awarded in Canadian junior hockey. The top teams from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, along with the host team, compete in 10 to 11 days of round-robin tournament play.
On Monday bid committee chairperson Mark Miller and vice-chairperson Mike Doran will be asking city council to support the bid by pledging $100,000 of in-kind support for use of CN Centre.
"This tournament will have an estimated economic impact of over $1 million a day - approximately $11-plus million for the tournament," Miller said in a report to council. "A study done for the City of Halifax reported that the Memorial Cup had an economic impact of between $14 and $16 Million in 2008."
The tournament is also expected to attract 2,000 visitors to attend the games and receive national TV coverage on TSN.
"We are exploring options to offer family-friendly festivities within our downtown area and possibly even with our sister communities throughout the North," Miller said. "This way, people who [are] not lucky enough to get a ticket can still take part and share in the excitement."
In his report Miller said the bid committee would work with city staff on possibly cost-recovery options - including food venue sales at CN Centre.
The committee has until May 15 to file its preliminary bid with the selection committee.
Council will consider the request during its regularly-scheduled meeting tonight.
