Another week has passed and what a great week it was for Yorkton.
Thirty-two of the greatest curling teams in the world were in town for an international event and our fair city was up to the task of hosting it.
The players raved about the hospitality and the crowds.
Pete Steski, the long-standing emcee of the event told the News Review that in all the years he has been doing tournaments, this year’s Canadian Open in Yorkton was the best. Second best? Last year’s Canadian Open in Yorkton.
Best in terms of ticket sales, best for concessions, best for merchandise, best crowds, best hospitality.
So, kudos to the organizers, volunteers and curling fans.
Despite all that, before the first stone was curled, rumours started floating around that the Open would not be returning next year. The rumours were quickly confirmed.
People wondered why the Grand Slam would want to pull the event from Yorkton given all the positive feedback.
As it turns out, they don’t. Steski said they would happily make Yorkton the permanent home of the event, but the curling club needs a break.
No doubt. It is an enormous amount of work to put on a world-class event. The curling club cannot be blamed for feeling fatigue after doing it two years in a row.
But, while the work is enormous, so is the benefit. There are no hard numbers to share, but suffice it to say an event of this status impacts the entire economy of the city. The teams alone represent 160 people plus coaches and other associated individuals staying in local hotels, eating at local restaurants, buying gas at local gas stations etc.
Then, there are the thousands of fans who come to town doing the same. Plus, at this time of year, while in Yorkton, why not take advantage of the opportunity to Christmas shop in the numerous retail outlets that make the city a hub for the region?
Many people did that too.
But it is not just about the immediate economic benefit. Anybody who watched any of the coverage on Sportsnet may have noticed that the excellent television crews have a real knack for presenting a town in its best possible light.
People across the country and around the world may have learned that the Yorkton area is a great tourist destination and a great place to live.
So, how do we get the Grand Slam back and keep it here?
Obviously, the rest of us have to step up to the hog line and help the curling club out. Having a top-level sporting event is a boon to the city as a whole and affects every individual resident whether we recognize it or not.
