Guelph won bid to host 2027 Memorial Cup fairly Canadian Hockey League confirms after concerns raised
CBC
The Canadian Hockey League says the Guelph Storm won their bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup fairly.
The statement comes after the Kitchener Rangers, the other team in the running to host the 2027 championships, raised concerns about the process.
The Waterloo Region Record first reported the Kitchener Rangers were concerned a three-year deal between Guelph-based Sleeman Breweries and Hockey Canada influenced the final decision.
“I can confirm that the Rangers raised their concerns with the CHL regarding the bid evaluation process, and that the site selection committee’s final vote on the bid was 4-1 in favour of Guelph,” Chris Séguin, the media relations manager for the Canadian Hockey League, said in an email to CBC News.
He also added the league “is not affiliated in any way with, nor a party to, that partnership” between Hockey Canada and Sleeman Breweries.
In a statement sent to CBC News, Rangers chief operating officer Joe Birch said he asked the league to investigate whether there was a potential conflict of interest.
"It was important for me. I think we wanted some clarity as to whether it existed and for the CHL to understand our concerns," Birch's statement said.
"We don’t think anything was ill merited on anybody’s part on the CHL selection committee, but I do believe we want to be advocates and agents of change and try to help make sure that future processes are better."
Matt Newby, vice president of business operations for the Guelph Storm, told CBC News on Wednesday that the team supports the Canadian Hockey League’s position on the concerns that were raised.
“Site selection for the Memorial Cup is designed to award the event to the best overall bid, and we are proud of the work that went into achieving that standard,” Newby said.
“We look forward to hosting an exceptional Memorial Cup in 2027 and showcasing the strengths of our winning bid to create an unforgettable event that our city, our fans, and teams across the Canadian Hockey League will be proud of.”
The Guelph Storm put a bid in to host the 2027 Memorial Cup because that is also the year the city will celebrate its bicentennial and it was thought the two events would compliment each other.
Guelph was announced as the winning bid for the 2027 Memorial Cup on Nov. 20.
The deal between Sleeman Breweries and Hockey Canada was announced Nov. 27.
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