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The Regina Pats are making a bid to host the 2018 Memorial Cup.
It will be the 100th anniversary of the junior hockey championship, as well as the Pats centennial season in 2017-18.
“We think the story, the history of the Regina Pats and the history of the Memorial Cup, I think those lines of communication draw, at least for us, a natural conclusion that we should host the Memorial Cup,” Anthony Marquart, President of Queen City Sports and Entertainment (which owns the Pats) told News Talk Radio.
Marquart said they are assembling a team to help with this large undertaking, and are also working with the Western Hockey League to identify any areas of improvement to facilities.
“The third component of the application is the quality of the team (Regina Pats),” explained Marquart. “So, we feel best about that, we think we’ll have an extremely strong team not only this season but (next season).”
The size of the Brandt Centre, home of the Pats, could be an issue as it only seats 6,484.
“There’s no question we can secure temporary seating if required in the west concourse, so we believe that can occur in a fairly short order, ” added Marquart.
Marquart said the size of the facility and any additional requirements needed to improve any areas is a large undertaking and will need to be addressed.
August 10 is the deadline for teams to express an interest to bid. The Pats are among a handful of teams trying to get the Memorial Cup.
The official bidding process will follow in the next few months. The Canadian Hockey League will pick a winner sometime in early 2017.
Marquart said the City of Regina fully supports the idea of the Pats hosting the Memorial Cup.
The Pats last hosted the Memorial Cup in 2001.
