The world comes to town
Success of championship shows Niagara can be big-time host
At Green Lotus restaurant, the impact of a world sports championship hit like a slapshot.
Monday night saw a game between Canada and the U.S. during the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women’s World Championship that drew more than 3,500 fans — a tournament single-game record.
Green Lotus, kitty-corner from Meridian Centre, suddenly got a rush of hungry spectators looking for a bite.
“Oh, it was quite sudden,” laughed Singha Chanthanatham, co-owner of the St. Catharines Thai-Lao eatery.
“It was like all these customers came in and made orders at the same time,” he said, adding business has been decent since the previous Friday.
“We’ve definitely seen the increase in traffic with this championship, especially for dinner.”
Tisha Polocko, executive director of the St. Catharines Downtown Association, said she’s heard a number of restaurants have seen an uptick in patrons during the tournament.
“Every time, before and after games there’s been an influx, for sure … and definitely for the evening games,” she said.
Every time, before and after games there’s been an influx, for sure … and definitely for the evening games. It’s also been really great to see those tourists and people coming here from other countries.” Tisha Polocko
“It’s also been really great to see those tourists and people coming here from other countries.”
Restaurants, hotels, shops and a region’s reputation all stand to benefit from hosting the IIHF games, which kicked off Jan. 8 and brought in eight competing countries.
The tournament attracted eight teams from around the world, including the powerhouse Canadian and U.S. squads. Organizers estimate by the time it ends with today’s gold medal game, well more than 30,000 spectators will have passed through the stadium gates.
That would smash the tournament record of attendance of 16,855, set in 2012 in the Czech Republic.
Niagara Sport Commission executive director Bram Cotton said the economic impact across Niagara is expected to be in the range of $4.5 million.
And then there’s what can’t be measured.
“An event like this can really bring out a lot of community pride, as the community gets behind the event,” Cotton said. “The world is here, international hockey is being played and Team Canada is here.
“That’s something most communities never have an opportunity to have. And it also brings international attention to the region.”
As for its legacy, “I think we will have shown that we’ll really get behind something and have the capacity … to host an event that is significant and complicated.”
Cotton said it’s also proved an excellent showcase for Meridian Centre and its ability to host events on this scale.
Matt Hill, general manager of the 2016 tournament, said when organizers started the bid process one goal was to set an attendance record. That was achieved with an announcement the record was broken, as ticket sales soared past 21,000.
“That was important to us for a few reasons,” he said.
For one, it hasn’t been hosted in Canada since its inaugural competition in 2008.
“To bring this event back to Canada gave us the opportunity to set that (attendance record) goal,” he said.
Hill adds there was already a sense “the community would get behind this and support it.”
“The opportunity to showcase not just this, but the sporting community in Niagara, is just fantastic,” he said. “This event has shown we can compete with other regions and municipalities across the country and be a player for these (kinds of) competitions.”
Dean McIntosh, Hockey Canada’s senior director of events and properties, said the work of 350-plus volunteers shows the depth of support from the hockey community here.
Volunteers lent a hand in everything from transportation to meals, laundry and game services.
“It’s been a fairly long time since we brought a larger event to the Niagara region,” McIntosh said.
Meridian Centre, while only open for 15 months, “was also very supportive and certainly the city was supportive behind the venue and Hockey Canada being here.
“When it comes to hotels, accommodations and movement within the city, we’ve been extremely well taken care of.”
Above all, Hockey Canada is concerned about the “ability of a community to create an atmosphere for the event,” McIntosh said.
“And the community has done a very good job in St. Catharines,” he said, citing areas that include signage, banners, billboards and advertising.
St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik said the IIHF event was a “huge success” and praised partners who made it happen, including the Niagara Sport Commission and Ontario Women’s Hockey Association.
“The volunteers in our community have also helped to pull off — from what we’ve heard from Hockey Canada and IIHF — one of the best women’s under-18 hockey tournaments,” Sednzik said.
“It’s something we’re very proud of.”
He said St. Catharines and Niagara “clearly demonstrated the capacity and capability to host an international event.
“That reputation will carry itself to Hockey Canada and other organizations.”
St. Catharines showed previously through world rowing events held here that it has the capacity to handle large-scale competitions and the infrastructure they require, said the mayor.
Meridian Centre will host the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts national women’s curling championships next year.
“We’ve done it with rowing, hockey, and we can do it with curling,” Sendzik said. “So it bodes well when it comes to bidding on other international events.”