Masters, REAL react to WHL bubble in Regina

Regina leaders are excited about the upcoming WHL season being played exclusively in the city.

Seven teams will make up the East Division and each is to play a 24-game regular season in the Queen City starting March 12.

Games are to be played at the Brandt Centre, with practices at the Co-operators Centre next door. The teams are to be housed in dorm rooms on the University of Regina campus.

Mayor Sandra Masters said it’s welcome, positive news after almost a year of dealing with the pandemic.

“We have athletes that missed out on some of 2020’s season, so being able to get them back on the ice is welcome for the league, for the city and for the province. The ability to actually get these teams on the ice, playing and competing, is good for the continuity of the sport long term,” she said.

She also pointed out benefits outside of hockey. For one, the city will be in the spotlight for many hockey fans.

“We have invested, as a community, a lot of money in our recreational facilities. We have a long-term vision of being an amateur sports hub, (so) being able to portray ourselves and to act as a host for activities such as this is exactly what we want to do now and into the future,” she said.

Another benefit is that Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) will be able to bring in some revenue.

“We’re going to get some income in terms of our facilities from rent, which is very welcome, considering that we all know what’s been happening in the recreation and event business relative to COVID …,” Masters said.

“There won’t be any spectators allowed, but just even in terms of being able to rent the facilities and having some traffic into our city, whether that be (NHL) scouts or other folks supporting the WHL system, that’s welcome.”

REAL CEO Tim Reid can’t wait to showcase the city’s facilities.

“What it means for us as a business, it means we’re going to highlight the fact that from Brett Kissel concerts to Iceville to now this WHL hub, we are a great place to do business around sports, entertainment and recreation,” Reid said on the Green Zone on Friday. “This really will showcase our abilities to make sure we keep people safe.

“The assembly of assets here really can create a great opportunity in the recovery of COVID-19.”

From getting people back to work to getting money injected into the local economy, Reid also sees a lot of financial gain in Regina being announced as the hub.

“We’re anticipating this will be somewhere between a $2-million and $3-million economic impact at a time where our industry needs it,” he said.

“This will mean that there are some people that are employed again that are getting paycheques and one step closer to their normal life.”

Hockey practice for people outside of the WHL will be resuming, with Reid saying people interested in using certain facilities will still have the ability to book ice time.

“This is an ability for us really to showcase what we can do in Regina as a great place with exceptional infrastructure that can innovate and transition. There are many promoters, there’s many events and there’s many other leagues that are looking for life after COVID or in this transition stage,” he said.

“This is a great opportunity to show what a fantastic recreational and sport tourism destination we are.”

Athletes and staff members from other provinces and even other countries will be coming to Regina. However, Masters thinks the COVID risk is minimal.

“The partnership with the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority has been so key in all of this,” she said. “They were quite rigorous in terms of outlining the terms under which we could host the WHL bubble.

“The beauty of the site is that access to it can be controlled. Transportation to and from it can be controlled and we can keep these athletes in a bubble.”

Premier Scott Moe also expressed his confidence in the health protocols on social media.

The WHL’s hub format has been backed up by an impressive and extensive set of protocols reviewed and approved by public health officials in Saskatchewan. These protocols will help ensure that the WHL can resume while keeping players, staff and the community safe.

— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) February 12, 2021

— With files from 980 CJME’s Logan Stein