Memorial Cup bid on track

Photo: Castanet file photo

Rockets and Kelowna officials at this spring's Memorial Cup in Regina.

In less than five weeks, Tom Dyas will step before the board of directors of the Western Hockey League to pitch Kelowna's bid for the 2020 Mastercard Memorial Cup.

He'll be joined by delegations from Kamloops and Lethbridge, who are also hoping to bring the Canadian Hockey League championship to their cities.

Victoria, believed by some to be one of the front runners, pulled out earlier this week.

It's the third time Kelowna has sought the event. The city was successful in securing the Memorial Cup in 2004, but lost out when Saskatoon dropped a boat load of money on the table.

As part of any bid, prospective cities must include a financial guarantee to the league which is shared with each of the 22 member clubs.

Dyas, who is leading Kelowna's bid, doesn't see that happening this time.

"You can't just take a position of buying it," Dyas told Castanet earlier this week.

"It has to be a sound financial plan that's based upon potentially municipal and provincial grants, ticket sales, sponsorship and all of the other components. Since we have to send this in weeks before we present, they get an opportunity to go through it to make sure the numbers work."

Dyas would not specify the amount of Kelowna's financial guarantee.

The rest of the bid includes the facility, city infrastructure, plans around the tournament and other legal matters.

The arena itself and improvement plans have all passed scrutiny.

The glass and boards around the rink have both been upgraded to meet CHL standards, and plans are underway to construct new dressing rooms.

"The architects have designed the dressing rooms so all four teams have their own dressing rooms, but they would be built on the exterior of the arena," said Dyas.

"There wouldn't be anything that would stay permanent that we see at this point in time."

The three bids will be presented Oct. 3 in Calgary.