They came, they saw and they left with a good impression.
The RBC Cup selection committee was in town Tuesday to check out Lloydminster as a potential host of the Canadian Junior Hockey League national championship for the 2015-16 season.
“I think the (visit) went well today,” said Mayor Rob Saunders. “It was an excellent job done by our Bobcats’ representatives and our community representatives. I think the selection committee was treated to a great afternoon.”
Director of marketing services for Hockey Canada Dean McIntosh said in his short time in town he’s noticed the hockey spirit.
But that spirit was championed by a large swell of animated kids at the airport waiting for the selection committee’s arrival from Calgary.
“It’s one of those things when you’re looking at an event like this you want to see community engagement, you want to see a community that’s thrilled to have an event and it’s great to see the energy in the community,” McIntosh said.
Saunders agreed.
“I think I’ve heard the RBC Cup buzz around here already.”
The Border City has hosted two major events recently (Hockey Day in Canada and the Allen Cup) and that fact was not lost on the committee.
“We have five or six priority factors that we consider when we’re looking at hosting events and certainly one of them is an ability to host or a history of hosting an event,” McIntosh said.
Bobcats’ business manager Malcolm Radke said Lloydminster also has another number of factors that play in their favour when the selection committee chooses the winner at the beginning of June.
“Where literally in the middle of Western Canada so you can’t get a better location than that in terms of the support for three of the teams (that will be here),” he said. “…Lloyd is a hockey community with a strong economic climate (and) there is no reason we can’t sell this out very quickly.”
Full Story from the Meridian Booster