Months have passed since the Canada Winter Games left Prince George, but the final report says the impact will last much longer.
The games finished more than $200,000 under budget, and surpassed ticket sales by 64%.
The remaining money will be contributed to the Post-Games Legacy Fund.
“With any budget of close to $50 million, you trim here, you cut there, you move money around, but at the end of the day, we raised a lot of money, had great government support, and were very proficient with out budget.”
Winter Games chairman Anthony Everett says the event gave Northern BC an edge it was previously lacking.
“Because of some of the facilities at Tabor and Otway, international teams are looking at coming here and training,” explains Everett, “We have great winter weather, and that really adds on… But now we have the venues. We didn’t have the venues before.”
While the team that made it all happen celebrated community spirit at their final council meeting, they also boasted some environmentally friendly news.
“It made us carbon neutral,” says Everett, “We were able to plant trees and get that designation, but really it was all about sustainability in a city that is new to that kind of thing.”
City Council says the Games were a massive success, and solidified Prince George’s status as a host city.
Winter Games CEO Stuart Ballantyne is now taking his talent to Edmonton, where he will begin a new job as Senior Vice-President of Operations with the Oilers Entertainment Group.
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