By battlefordsNOW Staff

Meridian Canadian Open to return to North Battleford in 2019

Mar 15, 2018 | 5:08 PM

On Thursday evening, Sportsnet announced their full 2018-19 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tour schedule, which includes North Battleford as the fifth destination of the season.

From Jan. 8-13, 2019, the Meridian Canadian Open will once again take over the Civic Centre.

“It’s huge. January is typically a slower month in terms of visitation and in terms of economic activity,” North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater. “I’d say discussions around hosting another event probably began during the last event. It was an incredibly successful event both for Sportsnet and the community and the Twin Rivers Curling Club itself.”

The event set attendance records in 2017, with over 25,000 total committed seats sold over the course of the tournament, which topped Yorkton’s previous high of just under 20,000. 

Bater also said 4,100 unique poeple visited the community.

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“That’s people coming multiple times because there were 19 draws,” he said. “Less than a third of those were local, which means that over two thirds of those people were from somewhere else other than the Battlefords.”

The Civic Centre was sold out for the entire weekend and even the morning draws during the week brought crowds that surprised the curlers.

More than two million viewers tuned in as well, during the 27 hours that Rogers Sportsnet had scheduled for coverage.

“I don’t think we should under estimate the value of this event being on a national broadcast,” Bater said. “Not only is it beneficial in terms of people visiting here and the local economic impact, it also does a lot for the community’s reputation.”

Earlier this month, that Grand Slam of Curling event was also named a finalist for the Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence as one of the top three marquee events in the province in 2017 (the winners will be announced at a gala in Regina on April 12).

Bater said he thinks the 2019 Canadian Open will once again be co-chaired by Wayne Cubbon and Russ Brown, who had a lot to do with the strong numbers in 2017.

“The event itself is a property of Sportsnet but it is hosted here through a hosting agreement and the hosting argeement locally is signed by the Twin Rivers Curling Club,” Bater said. “They form their own host committee.”

Brad Gushue ended up winning on the men’s side in 2017, while Casey Scheidegger won on the women’s side.

Ticket information for the 2019 event will be available online in the coming weeks, according to Sportsnet’s website.

cjnbsports@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BattlefordsNOW