So now what?
Now that Winnipeg has hosted what by any measure would have to be considered at least a modestly successful Brier, the big question now is what's next for major curling events in this province?
The answer, it turns out, is quite a lot.
"Brandon and Winnipeg are prime sites for us," Canadian Curling Association events director Warren Hansen said Sunday. "We'd like to bring a lot more events here. In fact, I only wish there were more places in this province that had the facilities and the population that could host some of these events."
While a total attendance of 165,075 for this year's Brier didn't approach the quarter-million figures that have been seen at recent Briers elsewhere in Western Canada, Hansen said the 2008 event will still turn a nice profit.
"I would say it will certainly be over $500,000. I can't see how it wouldn't be. I don't know for sure right now, but I would say confidently that it will be at least that.
"Anytime we can do numbers like this anywhere it's good. We only have two or three places in this country that can do the huge numbers and we know that. And that's OK. In Regina two years ago, we had ticket sales of 125,000, but with the Patch we had going there we ended up making $800,000. And this one could be even better than that when we count it all up."
Topping the list of upcoming events Hansen would like to bring to Winnipeg is the 2011 Men's World Curling Championship.
"That's an event that at the moment is without a home. We won't make a decision on that for about a year, but that's certainly an event that would work here," Hansen said.
Hansen noted that world championships have always done well in Winnipeg. The 1991 worlds attracted 241,000 spectators -- still a record for that event -- while the 2003 worlds attracted 153,571.
Men's worlds
Hansen believes a men's worlds in Winnipeg in three years could attract a crowd very similar to what we've just seen attend the Brier.
"I think you could draw about the same as this. Worlds have always done well in Manitoba. It's what people are familiar with here and I think it would do very well."
The men's worlds in Edmonton last year attracted about 175,000 spectators, or about 10,000 more than this year's Brier.
Hansen said the MTS Centre and its adjacent facilities passed with flying colours in its first appearance at a major Canadian curling event.
"This is a great building. The set-up with the Convention Centre down the road is ideal. This building ranks right up there with our major facilities in Edmonton, Calgary and Regina. It's an ideal-size building."
While the 15,000-seat facility is bigger than the 5,000-7,500 seat arenas that usually host the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Hansen said that is also a possibility for Winnipeg as organizers continue to ponder taking that event to the level of a Brier.
"I'd like to get a Scotties back in Manitoba. Now whether this building is too big for a Scotties, I don't know. We may try it on for size."
Hansen said the earliest a Scotties would come to Manitoba would be in 2012. The 2009 event is going to Victoria, while Kamloops is considered a front-runner for 2010 and Charlottetown for 2011.
Hansen said the CCA is also in active discussions with organizers in Brandon about bringing another event there.
"We're talking to people in Brandon. We'd like them to consider a women's worlds, a Scotties, even a Continental Cup would fly there I think."
The earliest a women's worlds or Continental Cup would be available would be 2010.
paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca
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