The City of Prince George is hoping their bid for a major curling tournament goes further than the hog line.
A campaign was launched today to try and bring the Tim Hortons brier to PG in 2020, if successful it will be the first time the tournament has been held in the northern capital.
Mayor Lyn Hall made the announced along side CN Centre Manager Glen Mikkelsen and to try and get the support of residents behind them.
The economic implications from this event would be huge for PG
“Huge economic driver for us, in the millions and millions of dollars.” Says Hall. “Take a look at the facilities like our hotels and all of our other recreational facilities that people can use like resturants, it’s a huge event for us economically.”
Hall added The tournament would tie in nicely with a couple of milestones.
“2020 is the one-hundredth anniversary of the first curling club in Prince George and the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of curling in BC and for the first time ever, we want to bring the Tim Hortons Brier to northern BC,” says Mayor Lyn Hall.
.@CityofPG Mayor Lyn Hall (@Lynhallpg) says if the city were to win the 2020 #TimHortons Brier bid, it can do wonders in terms of economic development | #CityOfPG #PG2020 pic.twitter.com/8tChXLLtX0
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 25, 2018
So far, St. Catherines, Kingston, and possibly Moncton are also bidding for the Brier.
Glen Mikkelson explains what advantages PG has over them.
“I think what we have, and we’ve demonstrated in our community before, is a remarkable ability to get it behind major events of all sorts, like with the Canada Winter Games.”
the northern capital is no stranger to hosting curling tournaments of significance as we’ve hosted the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the national women’s curling championships in 1983 and 2000, and the Road to the Roar Olympic tournament qualification in 2009.
The bid committee is hoping residents will put down a $20.20 ticket deposit to show Curling Canada that PG wants to bring the event here.
The bid must be submitted by June 30th.
The 2020 Brier is likely to be held from February 28 to March 9th.
– with files from Jeff Slack & Kyle Balzer, My PG Now
.@CityofPG caps off official bid announcement for the 2020 #TimHortons Brier with a photo op full of donuts ??? | #CityOfPG pic.twitter.com/vyRt6KrALx
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 25, 2018
.@CNCentre Manager Glen Mikkelsen says the bid begins by showing @CurlingCanada how badly @CityofPG wants to host “Canada’s Greatest Winter Party”; deposits of $20.20 available online | #CityOfPG pic.twitter.com/grlp5csPqH
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 25, 2018