Shining a Spotlight on Summerside as a Host for National Sporting Events
News Release
November 3, 2017 – Summerside, PE – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The final qualifying tournament for the 2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar pre-trials is set to get underway next week in Summerside. Athletes and spectators are ready for the seven-day event, and the City is all set to play host at its Eastlink Centre at Credit Union Place, showcasing Island hospitality at its finest. Sports tourism continues to be a growing segment of the tourism industry, which is why the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island are helping the City to host and promote the event.
Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), along with the Honourable Heath MacDonald, PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism today announced funding for the City of Summerside.
Through its Business Development Program, ACOA is providing a contribution of $15,000 to the City of Summerside to showcase the city as a premier sport tourism destination. The Government of Prince Edward Island is also contributing $15,000 to support the event and to help grow tourism in the late season.
This investment builds on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic provinces to drive economic growth in the region through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which involves targeted actions to stimulate the economy, including supporting key projects that support long-term growth and position the region to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Quotes
“A small city with big ambitions, the City of Summerside continues to attract high caliber events that bring with them impressive numbers of off-Island athletes and spectators along with national and international website, social media and television exposure. These guests not only provide immediate economic benefits, they become ambassadors for our great province. I am pleased to announce this Government of Canada investment that will reap positive benefits for Prince Edward Island.”
- Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont
“By supporting large scale events that take place later in the tourism season and by working with local accommodations on vacation packaging, we help provide benefit to the local economy and enhance the marketing efforts of local operators.”
- The Honourable Heath MacDonald, PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism
“Events like this create new opportunities for local business and generate new development opportunities in our city. Sport tourism attracts over 15,000 off-island visitors to the City of Summerside each year, bringing $16 million dollars in economic benefit to Summerside’s local economy annually, according to the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. Our hope is that local operators take advantage of this and other major events hosted in our great city to prosper and grow their business in our community.”
- His Worship Bill Martin, Mayor, City of Summerside
Quick Facts
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The Road to the Roar pre-trials will take place from November 6-12, 2017 in Summerside and will be broadcast live on TSN.
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Twenty-eight teams will pursue Olympic ambitions, fourteen female and fourteen male teams will compete to determine the final entries for the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials set for Ottawa in early December. The winner of the finals will represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
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Through the hosting agreement with the City of Summerside, the Canadian Curling Association has overall responsibility for the event in close liaison with the city’s hosting committee.
Contacts
Chris Brooks
Director of Communications
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-566-7569
Andrew Sprague
Senior Communications Officer
Department of Economic Development and Tourism
902-368-5535
Lorri Laughlin
Director of Communications
City of Summerside
902-432-1288