ESTEVAN, Sask. — The partnership between the Estevan Bruins and the City of Estevan had already reached an unprecedented level back in December when the 2022 CJHL Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Horton’s, was awarded to the Energy City.
Now the ceiling on that unprecedented level of municipal support for a CJHL franchise has been raised even higher, as Estevan City Council approved an additional $150,000 in cash sponsorship from the City of Estevan to ensure the success of the National Junior A Championship tournament.
READ MORE: Estevan Awarded 2022 Centennial Cup (December 12th, 2019)
“The City of Estevan’s new commitment is a major shot in the arm for the committee and will ensure the financial success of the event without over-burdening the business community,” stated Greg Hoffort, following the decision made at City Council on Monday night.
Part of the original bid package that the Estevan Centennial Cup committee submitted to Hockey Canada included details of the City of Estevan’s commitment to hosting a successful tournament. The City had agreed to $50,000 grant in seed funding in addition to waiving all rental fees at Affinity Place for the duration of the 10-day event. The City also agreed to cover any financial loss associated with hosting the 2022 Centennial Cup.
Now with a $150,000 cash commitment over the next two fiscal years, the City of Estevan’s level of commitment to ensuring a successful event and lasting legacy for the Estevan Bruins and the community cannot be ignored.
The primary reason for the additional ask from City Council is to relieve the financial burden of corporate sponsorship from the business community. This financial commitment will alleviate much of the need to seek out corporate dollars in sponsorship, and will encourage businesses to instead put most of their dollars towards buying tickets.
“With the sponsorship element in check, we can now place a major focus on ticket sales as we move towards our goal of hosting the best Centennial Cup to date as we welcome the nation to Estevan in 2022.” expressed Hoffort.
The goal is to have every game at the 2022 Centennial Cup at Affinity Place in Estevan be sold out, creating an unforgettable and unmatched atmosphere at the event for fans, teams, the City of Estevan and Hockey Canada as a whole.
An estimated economic impact of $3,000,000 for the community of Estevan can be realized from the 2022 Centennial Cup. A successful tournament can be hugely impactful to the sustained financial viability of the Estevan Bruins, as well as a potentially significant financial windfall for local businesses, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and the City of Estevan.
Sponsorship packages and Tournament Ticket packages will be developed by the Centennial Cup committee and will be released at a later date.
The Estevan Bruins will host four other CJHL champions in the Centennial Cup for 10 days in May 2022.