Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Intentions to bid close September 20th

Kelowna is ready to host the 2026 Memorial Cup

Sep 11, 2024 | 7:00 AM

It is full speed ahead in Kelowna’s quest to host the 2026 Memorial Cup. 

Racing against four other cities to acquire the high-profile event won’t be easy. Still, David Rush, who co-chairs the local bid with former area MLA Steve Thomson, is excited about the opportunity. 

“We have the Rockets, which are a great team,” Rush said when asked why Kelowna’s bid should be considered over entries from Brandon, Spokane, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. “We are going to have a strong team in 2026. The Hamilton’s, the team, and the heritage are incredible. It will be an incredible hockey experience, which is what we are here for and what it is all about.” 

Medicine Hat has the newest building of the five bidders, situated on the city’s outskirts, surrounded by parking lots and vacant scrubland. By contrast, Prospera Place, which will receive significant upgrades if the tournament is awarded, is in the heart of the downtown core. 

“The city itself can provide an incredible experience,” Rush added. “We really have the advantage of having Prospera Place right downtown. Everything is in walking distance. The hotels are just down the street from the arena. We have the brew pubs within walking distance. We have the cultural district within walking distance. We have a great fan zone district that will be in the parking lot out front. We have the family zone in Stuart Park, so we have all the basic infrastructure, and Kelowna is incredibly beautiful.” 

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While both Brandon and Lethbridge have received building upgrades over the years, Spokane’s Veteran’s Arena may be the most impressive because of its vast size, with capacity capped at just over 12 thousand.  

Is bigger better?

“We have incredibly broad-based support from every key organization in the community,” Rush added. “Westbank First Nation, and the Economic Development Commission, the entire community is behind us. We are a hockey town. We have a great team. We are going to have a great fan experience, so I think we have an extremely strong bid.” 

The bidding process will look much different than it did in 2020, when Kelowna was awarded the tournament before it was cancelled due to the pandemic. 

“The CHL [Canadian Hockey League] appoints a five-person committee to evaluate the bids and award the Memorial Cup,” Rush outlined. “They aren’t asking for a physical presentation. After the bids are prepared, assuming we make the shortlist, there will be a 90-minute call in which questions will be asked. They [committee] have the discretion to come out for a site visit.” 

All five hopefuls will submit their bid by September 20th, one day before the Kelowna Rockets open the regular season against the Portland Winterhawks. 

“These presentations always carry with it a little bit of stress, but it is one less opportunity for us to pitch Kelowna,” Rush said honestly. “We are dependent on them reading the bid document, watching the submitted video, and then we have our 90-minute opportunity either by phone or zoom. I personally would have been happy to have presented a bid, but we don’t make the rules, but I can tell you we have an exceedingly strong bid.” 

In consultation with Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas, who spearheaded the winning bid as chairman back in 2020, both Rush and Thomson are ready for whatever questions come their way.  

“The concepts of the winning bid in 2020, we’ve modified them a little bit, but it is a modification of a winning formula. A little tweaking. A little updating, but the basic foundational piece was there for us, which is making it much easier.”  

When asked by RocketFAN on his gut feeling of being in the winner’s circle when the dust finally settles, Rush said it succinctly. 

“I am a litigation lawyer, and I like to win.”