Cougars fever is stretching well outside Prince George city limits during the 2024 WHL Playoffs.
According to Tourism PG via Tickets North – 20% of tickets sold during home playoff games are being purchased by fans from neighboring communities within the region.
CEO Colin Carson told MyPGNow.com that the additional foot traffic we are seeing for these games is really benefiting the local economy.
“What we talk about when we look at events like this is that there is the direct impact of them buying their tickets as well as buying food and beverages at the game itself but that kind of supplemental spending is pretty big. Especially when it is coming from within the region, they will make a special trip to Costco and spend hundreds of dollars with that money staying in Prince George.”
“Not necessarily all of those people are coming into Prince George from multiple night – some people from surrounding communities such as Vanderhoof might potentially be driving home after the game. When they come into the community, they are spending significant amounts of money and the ones staying the night from further away are spending multiple days here sometimes,” added Carson.
Carson added it’s been a smart business move for the numerous bars and restaurants showing the road playoff games during the week.
“Especially the road games when people can’t go physically watch at the CN Centre, those are the games people are wanting to go to the pubs to watch the games. That is adding a significant amount to a restaurant on a Tuesday or Wednesday night when that would not be a typical busy night for them,” said Carson.
Even without factoring in the watch parties, each home playoff game has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.
In addition, the CN Centre will be showing the remaining Cougars road games on the jumbotron – starting with Games 3 and 4 Monday (April 29) and Wednesday (May 1) in Portland against the Winterhawks from the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Spectators will still be charged to get in the door, but only $4.00 each with the money “supporting Prince George community initiatives.” Concessions and bars will be open.
The arena doors will open 30 minutes before the start of each road game.