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Grand Slam a slam dunk
Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling Tour Challenge, held at Cranbrook’s Western Financial Place Nov. 8 to 13 (2016), was a slam dunk for the city.
Rick O’Neil, president of the Cranbrook Curling Club, told City of Cranbrook council last night the nationally broadcast bonspiel (Sportsnet) provided the city and region with “absolutely amazing” exposure over the one-week.
“We had 18 to 24 hours of TV advertising. We estimate that to be probably $300,000 to $400,000 in free advertising,” O’Neil said.
The benefit to the city and to local businesses far outreached the benefit of the curling club, he added.
“We made a small profit but the economic value to the city was unprecedented,” O’Neil said, noting a survey after the event showed five of Cranbrook’s largest hotels were fully booked for seven days and “the majority of restaurants” were filled over that seven day period. He also noted the benefits to Kimberley and other nearby locales.
The Kimberley Curling Club hosted the challenge’s three-day mixed doubles event.
“It was a success up there, too. The feedback has been excellent,” O’Neil said.
Additionally, area car rentals were booked solid and there were no available seats in or out of Canadian Rockies International Airport that week.
O’Neil said he “would like to assume several hundred thousand to a million dollars” was generated but “we can’t put a number on it.”
In total, it took 230 volunteers, providing 13,500 hours, as well as facilities and city staff to stage the event, which also featured a successful social house.
O’Neil praised city staff, led by Paul Heywood, as “instrumental” in helping make the event a success.
“Paul was awesome. But don’t let that go to your head,” O’Neil said, with Heywood seated next to him before council.
Coun. Ron Popoff asked Heywood if any lessons were learned through the process.
“There are certain patterns we are seeing in terms of sales,” Heywood said, using the past Canada Cup of Curling, held in 2011, as a measuring stick.
Local curling fans tend to be more interested in Canadian curling action than international, he said, suggesting it would be better, and easier, to host a smaller event next time.
“We’re in a position where we proved ourselves. Sportsnet did very well with this tournament in this town,” he said.
Sportsnet was impressed enough with how things unfolded that organizers were told another event, though smaller, is possible in a few years.
“Sportsnet says we are the list. It’s nice to be on that list,” said O’Neil.
That the event was a success also came as financial relief to the curling club and city, both on the hook for $150,000 in the deal with Sportsnet.
“I felt we owed that to the business community” to cover the costs, said Mayor Lee Pratt.
O’Neil said it was “the best $150,000 ever spent.”
Pratt said he was impressed with the organization, scale and feel of the event.
“I think it was great. Kudos to everybody. Everybody was working their butts off,” he said, thanking O’Neil and the curling club and volunteers.
Two hundred and 30 of them. That’s huge! Good job,” he concluded.
By Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
