Curling club bid draws to button with council

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on April 5, 2023.

Herald file photo A young fan cheers on the action at last year's Brier, hosted by the Lethbridge Curling Club at the Enmax Centre. Lethbridge city council on Tuesday approved a request to provide funds for the club to make a bid to host the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge city council is giving the Lethbridge Curling Club a chance to secure another major event for Lethbridge.

Council on Tuesday approved a request to provide $900,000 from the Major Community Event Grant budget so the club can make a bid to host the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials.

The City will also provide a letter of support for the bid.

The matter was contained in council’s consent agenda.

The trials, also known as Roar of the Rings, have been staged every four years since 1997, crowning a men’s and women’s champion to wear the Maple Leaf at the Winter Olympics the following year.

Saskatoon, which most recently hosted the event in 2021, despite still managing COVID restrictions saw attendance of over 107,000 people, plus millions of viewers on television and a substantial economic impact to the city.

The list of cities that have held the event is a short one.

Lethbridge would be the only city on that list – upon a successful bid – to have hosted all the major curling championships.

In a statement to The Herald Tuesday, the curling club said it “would like to thank Lethbridge city council and administration for their support of our 2025 Canadian Olympic Trials bid.

“These events inject millions of dollars into the local economy, helps build the sport by attracting young people, new adult curlers, and inspiring upcoming athletes in curling and creates a sense of civic pride that contributes to our sharing common memories, emotions, and beliefs with other people. We are committed to bringing world-class curling events to Lethbridge and we’re always humbled by and appreciative of the support we get from The City, and the citizens of Lethbridge.”

In a recent presentation to the Economic Standing Policy Committee – which includes all council members – Lethbridge Curling Club co-chair Mike Mulroy said the city’s history of hosting championships include the 2007 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the 2012 Ford women worlds championship, 2017 world mixed doubles and seniors championships, 2019 world mens championships which had a record attendance of more than 69,000 people and the 2022 Tim Horton’s Brier which provided a major post-COVID boost to Lethbridge, Mulroy said.

An administration report presented to the SPC states there are significant economic and social benefits for the city by hosting such an event.

It says that economic impact is estimated to rival that of the 2022 Brier which generated about $16.8 million in economic activity to the area.

Administration has reviewed the curling club’s proposal “and believes it is in alignment with the intent of CC55 Major Community Event Hosting Policy and annual funding allocation to enhance the profile and visibility of Lethbridge, thereby contributing to the quality of life by assisting with funding to host major events,” says the report.

The report says no bidding fee is paid to Curling Canada and no money changes hands until accounting is done after the event concludes. If the club’s bid isn’t successful, there is no financial exposure to the City, says the report.

The report says Curling Canada will guarantee more than 2,000 room nights for their exclusive use which totals more than $300,000 in room revenue. Local retail outlets, restaurants and tourism attractions are also expected to benefit from the curling trials.

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