Vancouver, Victoria make case for 2019 world juniors

The Vancouver and Victoria joint bid for the 2019 world junior hockey championship is hoping it put its best skate forward.

The bid presentations were made Monday and Tuesday at Hockey Canada headquarters in Calgary.

Also vying are joint bids from Edmonton-Calgary, Winnipeg-Saskatoon and London-Windsor, Ont.

Hockey Canada will announce the winner on Dec. 1.

The world junior event has become a popular holiday season sporting staple in Canada. The 2019 tournament begins on Boxing Day 2018.

“I think our chances are good,” said Hugh MacDonald, executive director of Sport Host Victoria.

MacDonald said Sport Host Victoria is partnering on the bid with the City of Victoria, City of Vancouver and Sport Hosting Vancouver. Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Tourism Victoria CEO Paul Nursey have provided letters of support, he added.

Also heavily involved in the B.C. bid are the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

MacDonald said Royals owner Graham Lee and Giants owner Ron Toigo were part of the presentation in Calgary. Lee did not return calls Tuesday.

The entire process seems shrouded in secrecy. Hockey Canada did not make mention of the bid presentations Monday or Tuesday.

CTV Windsor, however, reported that Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens was in Calgary as part of the London-Windsor bid and that he said it “went very well . . . our communities are really passionate about junior hockey and give us a chance.”

MacDonald is more concerned about another opponent, though.

“[Edmonton-Calgary] is our biggest competitor, especially with the new arena in Edmonton,” said MacDonald.

“But we have facilities to match,” he added, pointing to Rogers Arena and Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.

The B.C. bid would have preliminary pool games played at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria and at venues in Vancouver, with the semifinals and final likely at Rogers Arena or Pacific Coliseum.

MacDonald said there are other opportunities for the Island, as well, including hosting the Canadian team’s training camp and camps for the other national junior teams.

But you’ve got to ante up to play in this game.

MacDonald said he expects Hockey Canada will want a guarantee “of between $5 million to $10 million” to host the event.

The money would be Hockey Canada’s share of revenue from such things as ticket sales, broadcast rights and merchandise.

The 2017 world junior hockey championship, hosted by Montreal and Toronto, begins Dec. 26. The 2018 tournament is in Buffalo, New York.