The countdown is on.
It is now less than a month until the Montana's Brier, the annual Canadian men's curling championship, comes to Kelowna for the first time in 57 years, and it's expected to bring home the dough.
According to Tourism Kelowna, the 10-day event is expected to have an economical impact of about $12-14 million.
“These major events are not only a driver for visitors but provide access to high quality entertainment for our residents and encourage local tourism,” said Tourism Kelowna President and CEO Lisanne Ballantyne in a Jan. 29 press release. “Visitors and locals can enjoy the festive atmosphere these events will bring to the community as they explore restaurants, eateries, coffee shops, breweries, wineries, and local attractions.”
Curling teams, families, friends, and fans will be coming to Kelowna for the prestigious event taking place at Prospera Place from Feb. 28-Mar. 9. The arena sits 6,886 people and it's predicted a total of 9,000 people will be using a hotel room during the event.
The Brier, along with the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) coming to town in September is expected to bring in $25 million combined.
"Events play an important role in the function of a community such as improving quality of life, increasing economic stimulus, providing shared experiences, and shaping a city’s identity,” said City of Kelowna Event Development Manager Chris Babcock.
"We're always so grateful to have such high calibre events take place in our community. We love to showcase our little corner of Kelowna to the world,” added BNA Brewing Company owner Kyle Nixon.
A staple of the Brier is the Original 16 patch, which is known as the ‘curling party place.’ The patch will be located at the Delta Grand Hotel across from Prospera Place. For the opening night on this year's tournament, Tsawwassen band 54/40 will be rocking the patch with a free show.
Tickets for the Brier are still available on the Curling Canada website.
