The Kelowna Rockets won the CHL Memorial Cup in 2015 and are making a bid to bring the tournament to Kelowna in 2020.
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April 20, 2018 - 10:26 AM
KELOWNA – The Kelowna Rockets have announced they will try to bring the 102nd Memorial Cup to Kelowna in 2020.
It’s been 16 years since the Canadian Hockey League played their tournament to Kelowna. In 2004 Captain Josh Gorges, 18-year-old defenceman Shea Weber and eventual tournament MVP goaltender Kelly Guard helped to capture the Cup on home ice in front of a sold-out crowd at Prospera Place.
Rockets owner and general manager Bruce Hamilton says in a media release the team feels confident they will have another chance at winning and want as many local fans as possible to be there to see it.
"The last time we hosted, we changed the course of the Memorial Cup and turned it into a festival,” he says. “We know our city will do an even bigger and better job this time around.”
To help make their bid, the Rockets are partnering with the City of Kelowna, Tourism Kelowna and Prospera Place. The Rockets bid committee will now spend the next five months preparing their bid, which they will present at the annual governors meeting scheduled for Oct. 3 in Calgary.
After all teams have presented, the Governors will vote, and the winning team will be announced at the end of the meeting.
The Kelowna Rockets have played in the Memorial Cup five times, winning the tournament on home ice in 2004. They have also won seven B.C. Division titles.
“We are positive the community will rally around this event and make it an even bigger and better celebration for the Western Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League for years to come,” Hamilton says.
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