Kelowna is planning to host the 2026 Memorial Cup.
The Kelowna Rockets in partnership with the City of Kelowna put in a bid for the 2026 event, potentially fulfilling a plan scuttled four years ago by the pandemic.
Mayor Tom Dyas said lessons learned from the first bid make those involved with the bid “stronger and even more determined than ever” and by Sept. 14, they expect to hear the event will belong to the city.
“The Kelowna Rockets have always been a source of excitement and inspiration for our community and bringing this event back to our city will not only bring excitement around our home team, our arena and our loyal fan base for years to come, but also bring significant economic and social benefits to our community,” Dyas said.
Based on past economic impact studies the event is anticipated to bring more than $15 million in economic activity to the region, creating more jobs and more opportunities.
However, it will take a multi-million dollar investment to get the bid.
After the 2020 event was brought to a halt by the pandemic, it was thought that Kelowna would host the 2023 event. That plan fell flat when Prospera Place was found to fall short on the requirements from the Canadian Hockey League.
A 2022 audit of the building found significant deficiencies including the lack of dressing rooms and adequate lighting.
Who was to blame for that was passed around by the city, the Rockets hockey team, and the company that owns Prospera Place, the GSL Group.
On Thursday, Dyas said the city is prepared to foot the bill on the needed upgrades to the building.
Already $3.7 million has been put aside for the upgrades in the city’s capital budget. The funds will come specifically from the 2023 surplus, meaning there will be no incremental fees required and no tax increase.
Among the items already set for investment are the scoreboard, ring lighting, audio system and a permanent media facility.
These, Dyas said, are legacy improvements.
“The improvements will have benefits and impacts beyond the Memorial Cup, as they will prepare the city for the upcoming large-scale events like the 2025 Briar and the 2025 Canadian Country Music Awards,” Dyas said.
Dyas went on to say that GSL has been a partner in bringing entertainment culture and sports to the city and they appreciate their contribution.
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