The big winner at the World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling was the host city.
“St. Albert really got involved and that’s why it’s been so successful,” said Mike Howes, the tireless host committee chair for the biggest curling event to be staged in the city. “It’s really put us on the map.”
Total attendance for the 11 draws was 16,340 at Performance Arena.
“I wanted it sold out so I’m disappointed a little bit that it didn’t get to 100 per cent, but the weatherman didn’t co-operate with us for the walk-ups. I think if it would’ve been plus five we probably would’ve sold the rest of those walk-up tickets,” Howes said.
The largest turnout was 1,911 for Saturday night’s skins games, which ultimately decided the championship title for Team North America against Team World in the Ryder Cup-style points format.
“We were down to 42 tickets before the draw started and halfway through the games I got a text and it said it was virtually sold out,” Howes said.
The four-day event brought together 12 of the best rinks in the world, with six representing Team World and six representing Team North America. Each team consisted of three men’s and three women’s rinks.
“Obviously people are here to see curling and that’s what they paid for. Even [Sunday] morning we were 140 tickets from a sell-out for the skins game [between Calgary’s Cheryl Bernard and China’s Bingyu Wang],” Howes said. “When some of the games were forgone conclusions by the sixth end, you never saw the barn emptying out. Nobody wanted to leave their seats.”
Even with the outcome a done deal, attendance was near capacity for Sunday’s draws, including 1,757 for the last game between Kevin Martin of Edmonton and Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud. The skins contest was also a rematch of the 2010 Olympic gold-medal game.
“The right team won the Continental Cup but it would’ve been nice to see it come down to the last rock in the last game on the last day. That really would’ve put an exciting cap on it but it’s tough to script those things,” Howes said.
Keith’s Patch, located in Troy Murray Arena, was the event’s hot spot for entertainment and refreshments.
“It was a busy place, especially at night. It was a great party atmosphere,” Howes said,
The economic impact on the city has been pegged at several million dollars.
“It’s been very, very good for us economically. Our bars were full. The restaurants were packed. I was told several restaurants were lined up with people waiting to get in. Both of the hotels were sold out too,” Howes said. “Driving around in the parking lot, I’ve never seen [Servus Place] full for four days like this.”
The exposure from TSN broadcasting the event live is another public relations windfall for the city.
“St. Albert has been getting a lot of plugs on TSN. They’ve shown our grain elevators and our clock and a nice blurb about the curling rink,” Howes said. “We definitely got the recognition that we wanted.”
Howes got misty eyed when explaining what his fondest memory was of the Continental Cup.
“Probably the proudest moment was when the fans did the wave. Wasn’t that cool?”
