Related story
Hurry hard to support a St. John's Brier
St. John’s Brier bidders believe they can make the draw
The official St. John’s bid package for the ’17 Canadian men’s curling championship was couriered to Curling Canada’s Ottawa office Wednesday, and now the wait is on to see if the city can upstage Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and a pair of western Canada cities — believed to be Regina, Sask. and Red Deer, Alta. — for the right to play host to one of Canada’s biggest sporting events.
The Brier bid package revealed some impressive numbers, specifically 2,187. That’s the total of $50 deposits towards a full event pass received for the 10-day event which was announced at a news conference Friday at Atlantic Place in downtown St. John’s. The Tim Hortons Brier Bid committee had hoped for 1,500.
The 2,187 deposits guarantees $1 million in ticket sales for Curling Canada.
By contrast, the Sault Ste. Marie ticket drive netted 1,213 deposits.
“That solidifies an almost compelling bid,” said Coun. Danny Breen, who heads up the St. John’s sports tourism program.
The province and city stepped up in support of the Brier Friday by announcing $300,000 and $250,000, respectively, which will go towards the event budget if the Brier is awarded to St. John’s.
“Curling Canada will asses the bids and contact us in due course, I would assume in June, either seeking more information or to discuss pricing,” said local Brier Bid committee chairman Gene Trickett. “Perhaps there will be a little bit of negotiating. They might even do that with two centres.
“But as the summer progresses, we’ll know if we have a very good chance at winning this or not.”
An announcement on the 2017 Brier is expected in October or early November.
Sources tell The Telegram the Brier is this city’s event to lose. Like anything, it will come down to making the numbers work, but there is an appetite to bring the storied curling championship to St. John’s, which last played host to the Brier in 1972. The Soo staged the 1990 Brier, Red Deer held it in 1994 and Regina was the host city in 2006.
One person convinced the Brier is headed to St. John’s is Mayor Dennis O’Keefe, who did his best Joe Namath/Mark Messier guarantee Friday.
“I’m positive we are going to have the Brier here,” O’Keefe said. “The stars are aligned. The city has an outstanding reputation for hosting sporting events, conventions, other events like the Junos. We do it well.
“And now we have a $64 million extension going on to the Convention Centre. Curlers like to curl and they like to party. Curling fans like to watch curling and they like to party. We’ll have a Brier Patch like no other.”
Mile One Centre was the site for the 2005 Scotties Canadian women’s curling championship, which had an operating budget of around $4 million.
“I would anticipate that to be $7 million or $8 million for Brier. It could be closer to $10 million,” Trickett said.
The Brier has been held in NHL rinks in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg of late, but Curling Canada has shown a desire to move into smaller buildings, namely Kamloops, B.C. (2014), Saskatoon (2012) and London, Ont. (2011).
Seating capacity for curling at Mile One is, like hockey, 5,800, 6,287 with suites.
Related story
Hurry hard to support a St. John's Brier
St. John’s Brier bidders believe they can make the draw
The official St. John’s bid package for the ’17 Canadian men’s curling championship was couriered to Curling Canada’s Ottawa office Wednesday, and now the wait is on to see if the city can upstage Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and a pair of western Canada cities — believed to be Regina, Sask. and Red Deer, Alta. — for the right to play host to one of Canada’s biggest sporting events.
The Brier bid package revealed some impressive numbers, specifically 2,187. That’s the total of $50 deposits towards a full event pass received for the 10-day event which was announced at a news conference Friday at Atlantic Place in downtown St. John’s. The Tim Hortons Brier Bid committee had hoped for 1,500.
The 2,187 deposits guarantees $1 million in ticket sales for Curling Canada.
By contrast, the Sault Ste. Marie ticket drive netted 1,213 deposits.
“That solidifies an almost compelling bid,” said Coun. Danny Breen, who heads up the St. John’s sports tourism program.
The province and city stepped up in support of the Brier Friday by announcing $300,000 and $250,000, respectively, which will go towards the event budget if the Brier is awarded to St. John’s.
“Curling Canada will asses the bids and contact us in due course, I would assume in June, either seeking more information or to discuss pricing,” said local Brier Bid committee chairman Gene Trickett. “Perhaps there will be a little bit of negotiating. They might even do that with two centres.
“But as the summer progresses, we’ll know if we have a very good chance at winning this or not.”
An announcement on the 2017 Brier is expected in October or early November.
Sources tell The Telegram the Brier is this city’s event to lose. Like anything, it will come down to making the numbers work, but there is an appetite to bring the storied curling championship to St. John’s, which last played host to the Brier in 1972. The Soo staged the 1990 Brier, Red Deer held it in 1994 and Regina was the host city in 2006.
One person convinced the Brier is headed to St. John’s is Mayor Dennis O’Keefe, who did his best Joe Namath/Mark Messier guarantee Friday.
“I’m positive we are going to have the Brier here,” O’Keefe said. “The stars are aligned. The city has an outstanding reputation for hosting sporting events, conventions, other events like the Junos. We do it well.
“And now we have a $64 million extension going on to the Convention Centre. Curlers like to curl and they like to party. Curling fans like to watch curling and they like to party. We’ll have a Brier Patch like no other.”
Mile One Centre was the site for the 2005 Scotties Canadian women’s curling championship, which had an operating budget of around $4 million.
“I would anticipate that to be $7 million or $8 million for Brier. It could be closer to $10 million,” Trickett said.
The Brier has been held in NHL rinks in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg of late, but Curling Canada has shown a desire to move into smaller buildings, namely Kamloops, B.C. (2014), Saskatoon (2012) and London, Ont. (2011).
Seating capacity for curling at Mile One is, like hockey, 5,800, 6,287 with suites.
