Lethbridge City Council voted to provide $1.25 million and a letter of support to the Sport Tourism Advisory Committee in their bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

junior Hockey

Lethbridge City Council approves bid for 2026 Memorial Cup

Jul 23, 2024 | 5:36 PM

Lethbridge City Council is supporting the City’s bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup.

Lethbridge City Council on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, voted to provide $1.25 million and a letter of support to the Sport Tourism Advisory Committee in their bid to host the championship hockey tournament, which features four teams from three Canadian Hockey Leagues facing off in a round robin tournament and playoffs.

The motion bring the recommendation to council was brought forward at the Economic and Finance Standing Policy Committee meeting on July 11.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen led the July 11 meeting, and says hosting a tournament like the Memorial Cup would help Lethbridge thrive as a sporting destination.

He continued, “The Hurricanes bring a huge value to our community and having the Memorial Cup come to Lethbridge would be an absolute landmark event for the city and region.”

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Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager of Business Operations Terry Huisman agreed with Hyggen’s enthusiam, saying, “Our club has a proud history in this city and we are always looking for opportunities to showcase this dedication to our fans and community.”

The $1.25 million for the bid will come from the City’s Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve (MRSR) if it is successful. No bidding fee is required, so if the Lethbridge’s bid is unsuccessful, there will be no financial impact for the City.

As part of the process, A Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model has been prepared by the Lethbridge Sport Council. It estimated that the 2026 Memorial Cup would provide a projected total economic impact of more than $12 million in Alberta, including a projected $9.25 million of direct and indirect economic output in Lethbridge.

The Sport Tourism Advisory Committee has received letters of support from numerous local organizations to support the bid, and is also seeking provincial support for the event.

If the bid is successful, 2026 would mark the first time in the over 100 year history of the Memorial Cup that it would be held in Lethbridge. The tournament would take place over a ten-day span in late May and early June.

The CHL is expected to name the host of the 2026 Memorial Cup in late November.