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Squamish hopes to score Chilliwack hockey team

Junior A team could support the 5,000-seat Paralympic facility
sutherland-ian
Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland

If Squamish can coax the Chilliwack Chiefs hockey team onside, they could have a business case to build the multi-million Paralympic ice arena in their town.

Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland confirmed this week that discussions are underway with the owners of the Junior A hockey team from Chilliwack.

The Chiefs could be the major tenant Squamish needs to help pay the bills of the 5,000-seat Paralympic arena, originally slated to go in Whistler Village.

And it just seems like a natural fit, said Sutherland, for the Chilliwack Chiefs to move to the home of the majestic Stawamus Chief, the imposing mountain overlooking the town.

"You couldn’t think, in some ways, of a better fit than the Chiefs moving to Squamish," said Sutherland this week. "It makes a lot of sense."

The Paralympic facility, which is designed to hold the sledge hockey events in 2010, was Whistler’s arena to build with a $20 million contribution from VANOC.

But, after studying the financial models of what it would cost to build the facility in the resort, Whistler gave Squamish the chance to see how feasible the arena would be in that town. No details of the financial implications of building the arena in either Whistler or Squamish have been made public to date but both towns have confirmed it would be cheaper to build a 5,000-seat arena in Squamish.

In addition, a confidential KPMG study commissioned by Whistler states an arena of this size adds value to the resort experience but it won’t necessarily drive additional visitors to Whistler. The full details of this report are not available.

While no decisions have been made, Sutherland said there is continuing dialogue with various parties, including the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games.

No matter what Squamish decides in the weeks ahead, ultimately the decision rests with Whistler council. They must notify VANOC of their decision by the end of August/early September.

The British Columbia Hockey League Commissioner John Grisdale confirmed this week that the Chilliwack Chiefs have notified the league office of their intent to seek relocation for the 2006-07 season. They have not yet told the league where they want to go but will have until early December to notify officials of their preferred new location. The board of the BCHL will make the final ruling.

The decision to relocate the Chiefs comes on the heels of a deal to bring a Western Hockey League franchise to Chilliwack. That team is called the Tri-City Americans and is owned in part by the same group of businessmen who own the Chiefs.

The WHL has a higher profile than the BCHL and generally produces more National Hockey League drafts. The WHL team moving to Chilliwack is one of the reasons why the Junior A team is looking for a new home.

Moving elsewhere means another B.C. community can possibly reap the benefits of having a Junior A team in their town. It’s close to a $10 million business and with economic spin-offs factored in that number is closer to $30 million to $40 million, said Grisdale.

"There’s a lot of revenue generated and then you take the spin offs like T-shirts and hats and all that kind of stuff, hotels, meals, buses, (business) at local sporting goods stores," he added. "So there’s a tremendous economic spin off to the communities."

He cited a study done in Powell River which pointed to more than $1 million annually in economic generation in the community as a result of their Junior A hockey team, the Powell River Kings.

Grisdale said Squamish or even Whistler could be an ideal location for a Junior A team.

"I personally feel… it would be exciting for the BC Hockey League to be in there (the corridor)," said Grisdale. "It’d be closer to the Olympics and the excitement that’s being generated with that, but there’s a lot of interest and people that are really into athletics and sporting venues of all kinds that I think it would be great for our league.

"Either way, whether Chilliwack moves there or another team decides that they would want to move there, I think at some point in time if an arena is built there, we would seek Junior A hockey there."

Ultimately the league is looking for a location with a big enough population to create a significant fan base. Whistler, though its permanent population of 10,000 is more than one-third smaller than Squamish, could be a viable option too said Grisdale, adding that previous hockey schools and tournaments have been successful in the resort community.

"There’s a real strong local component (in the community) and real support of sports environment there," he said.

"If you go into a place like Squamish or Whistler there are obviously other activities happening on a regular basis in the evening but not as many (as in the Lower Mainland). So we really get a focus group of those (fans) that really support the team. We do get a loyal following."

It’s a league which has honed the skills of the likes of NHLer’s such as Paul Kariya, Brett Hull, Cliff Ronning and Brendan Morrison. And its young players and rules make for very exciting hockey, said Grisdale.

The Chilliwack Chiefs now play out of the 3,700 seat Prospera Centre. That will be their home for the next season too. The facility is a unique public/private partnership between the city and the owners of the hockey team, the Chiefs Development Group.

The city and CDG split the centre’s after-tax profit evenly.

It is not clear how much of a role CDG could have in developing a new facility in Squamish. The town will have to add money to the capital costs of the arena and there could also be money coming from VANOC.

"It’s not so much a P3," said Sutherland. "It’s just a matter of having a partner or a tenant who would be a big part of the building. You have to remember, when it comes to any kind of facility, it’s the operational side that causes you more sleepless nights than the construction of it. So having a major tenant in the building is a very big part of this process. And if you can get a major tenant who is also involved in construction, that’s not a bad thing either."

While there are still some outstanding details about the proposal that have yet to come to light, Sutherland is confident about one thing – that Squamish will welcome Junior A hockey with open arms.

"Squamish is a big hockey town," said Sutherland. "We’ve been talking about the idea of having a Junior team in Squamish since I became mayor two and a half years ago, and I know it’d be embraced by the community. I know we’d have great fan support and a great hockey team."

A staff report is expected to come before Whistler council at the Aug. 15 meeting, highlighting staff’s recommendation to council.

VANOC CEO John Furlong said this week that any venue change would only be done if it makes the overall Olympic experience better.

"It’s all about making the experience better," said Furlong. "If we can’t make it better, if a change or a move of any kind, can’t be rationalized in terms of an improvement, it’s not on. And no one will agree to it. So it always has to be considered that way."

Sutherland said they are close to letting Whistler know of their decision but the business case must be solid before that decision is delivered.

"Certainly before we say yes or no at the end of the day, having a major tenant and the operational side of the building nailed down will be very important," he said.

Should the Paralympic facility go to Squamish, Whistler could get a second ice sheet and more money for the athletes centre as part of the deal.

When asked why VANOC would give Whistler money for an ice rink not related to the Olympics Furlong said: "It’s all part of the overall legacy proposition and trying to make sure that the whole project is sustainable, leaves real legacies.

"There’s a lot of things going on in Whistler. Whistler is a great partner of ours and… it’s important to Whistler when we leave that the legacy for the community is one that’s thoroughly enjoyed and respected. But again it’s all up for continuing and ongoing discussions."

There will be a public open house before council makes its final decision. That decision is expected at the Sept. 6 meeting.