‘That is the Saskatchewan spirit’: Despite unsuccessful world juniors bid, tourism head proud of efforts

Article content

The CEO of Tourism Saskatoon didn’t try to hide her disappointment, but Stephanie Clovechok was quick to share another emotion after learning the bid by Saskatoon and Regina to host the upcoming world junior hockey championship was unsuccessful.

Article content

“I think the big headline here is how powerful it is to bring an entire province together on something like this,” Clovechok said on Thursday, shortly after receiving word that Halifax and Moncton has been awarded the 2023 event ahead of joint bids from Ottawa/Quebec City and Saskatoon/Regina.

Canada is hosting the 2023 championship after the event was pulled out of Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine. Saskatoon previously attempted, and failed, to land the 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2009 championships before succeeding in 2010 with a joint bid alongside Regina. Saskatoon also hosted the world juniors in 1991.

Tourism groups in Saskatoon and Regina spent a frantic week last month getting a bid together, with the International Ice Hockey Federation announcing they were looking to Canada to host on short notice

Chelsea Galloway, chief tourism and visitor growth officer for Economic Development Regina and Tourism Regina, was marvelling on Thursday at how the teams in both cities managed to put together a bid in just 10 days when it can sometimes take months — or even years — to coordinate bids for large events. She said the process was also unique because it played out more publicly than most.

“It was fun for people to be part of the process. Everyone’s disappointed, but I think it’s also an opportunity for us to be really excited about hosting major events again,” Galloway said.

The two cities are often competing against each other to host major events, Clovechok pointed out. The teamwork Saskatoon and Regina showed as they worked together — from city council to the tourism groups, the business community to citizens offering to volunteer — is something that gives Clovechok “enormous pride and shows we’ve got something very magical on our hands.

Article content

“That is the Saskatchewan spirit that connects us all … We need to definitely lean into that when we want to bring hockey back to Saskatchewan.”

The last world juniors to be held in the Maritimes was in 2003. The event has been held several times since then in the west, and the 2022 championship — which was called off in December due to the COVID-19 pandemic — is being held in August in Edmonton and Red Deer. Clovechok said she was never told directly from Hockey Canada about that being a factor, only hearing the narrative in the media. Part of Saskatchewan’s appeal, Clovechok said, was because of its openness for business and willingness to host events over the past two years.

She said there were “a lot of things likely in play” and that she hopes to learn more about the process and decision making during a follow-up call in the near future.

With the hospitality sector still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism representatives from Saskatoon and Regina said they hoped to land an event the magnitude of the world juniors. Both Saskatoon and Regina’s city council approved $350,000 in funding to support the joint bid.

After two years of cancelled and postponed events, Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said last month that welcoming the hockey tournament would put people in hotel beds and boost the local economy.

“Our hotels need hope. Our restaurants need hope. Our venues need that hope and optimism,” he said.

Clovechok last month before Saskatoon city council estimated the economic impact of hosting the event at $50 million. She predicted it would attract 300,000 fans, 15,000 room nights for hotels and 20,000 out of town travellers.

Article content

As disappointing as the outcome of the bid is, Clovechok feels energized by the process.

“It’s one thing we were saying: this put us back to work in the way we love to work,” she said.

“Now that this momentum is felt by the community … we’ve got a fire in us to keep hunting for these events hosting in Saskatchewan.”

Whether it’s soccer or curling, baseball or the North American Indigenous Games, “we’ll be making sure we’re present in the world … This, again, speaks to the strength of the community and connectivity of the community.”

The next opportunities to bid to host the world junior hockey championship are for the 2026 or 2028 event.

Said Clovechok: “We will be sure that Hockey Canada hears from us.”

— With Leader-Post files from Jennifer Ackerman

The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.