Council to vote on $200K ask for unexpected Memorial Cup facility upgrades

Photo: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

Kamloops council has been asked to consider approving $200,000 to fulfill additional Memorial Cup building requirements.

With about two months to go until the Memorial Cup, Kamloops city council has been asked to approve an additional $200,000 to install a temporary elevated platform for TSN broadcasters, as well as league and team officials.

Council will discuss and vote on the matter at Tuesday’s council meeting.

In a report prepared for council, city staff said they are looking to install the structure at the east end of Sandman Centre concourse.

“This elevated viewing area is required to create some private studio spaces for Canadian Hockey League officials, sponsors, broadcast and media partners, and individual team executive spaces, as well as space for the TSN broadcast centre,” the report said.

According to staff, this building requirement wasn’t initially identified by CHL officials during previous discussions about the facility.

Staff said the need for this structure became apparent through “ongoing discussions with CHL officials, TSN broadcast officials and the Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club.”

The temporary viewing area is predesigned and will cost $200,000 to install. Staff proposed using the city’s gaming reserve to cover the cost of the platform.

Last summer, the city approved $940,000 to give Sandman Centre a number of technical upgrades ahead of the Memorial Cup.

Those upgrades included game presentation systems, a video production control room, enhanced video replay systems and broadcast cable infrastructure.

At that time, the city estimated the Memorial Cup would have an economic impact of $12 million to $15 million.

Kamloops previously hosted the Memorial Cup in 1995. The Tournament Capital lost out to Kelowna in their bid to host the 2020 championship, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Memorial Cup will get underway on May 26 and runs through June 4.