ESTEVAN TO BID ON 2020 NATIONAL JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP

The Estevan Bruins want to be the hosts for the 2021 National Jr A Championship (formerly RBC Cup) – the top junior A hockey tournament in the country.

The Bruins officially submitted their bid document for the tournament to Hockey Canada this week. The comprehensive package highlights not only the club and its arena, Affinity Place, but also the dedication of the volunteers, the amenities Estevan has to offer and the city’s past experience hosting marquee provincial and national sporting events.

Bruin president Cory Prokop and City Councillor Greg Hoffort, who is the city’s representative on the Bruin board, are the co-chairs for the bid committee. They were pleased to be able get the package completed and submitted.

“With the help of quite a few folks, we were able to meet the deadline to submit the bid on behalf of the Estevan Bruins and the City of Estevan to be able to host the 2021 national junior A championship,” said Hoffort.

Prokop is confident this document will be as good as any document from the other interest communities. It shows the pros of the community to put Estevan in a great light.

There’s a lot that goes into the bid stage, Hoffort said, including the hotel and accommodation requirements and the club’s ability to manage transportation.

“We think we have one of the best junior A facilities in Canada with our Affinity Place events centre,” said Hoffort. “The community and the local committee that constructed it in 2011 really have done something that they haven’t matched in a lot of communities.”

They also focused on the partnership between the Bruins and Estevan city council, who has thrown their support behind the bid, and is doing everything possible to bring the event to Estevan.

And they emphasized the track record of being able to host events that require many volunteers.

Hoffort noted that other communities that hosted the RBC Cup have had a spinoff of about $2.5 million to $3 million, so it would be a big boost for the community to have that kind of economic benefit.