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Ottawa Citizen

Soo Greyhounds will not bid on 2027 Memorial Cup

Article content The Soo Greyhounds decided the third time was, in fact, not the charm. Article content After unsuccessful bids in 2021 and 2024, the team announced Monday morning that it will not bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League's marquee tournament. The event is slated to be hosted by an OHL team, as part of the CHL's regular rotation with the WHL and QMJHL. Article content 'This decision was made following a review of the factors necessary to stage an event of this magnitude, including the resources required, the current state of the local economy in an environment of tariff uncertainty, and the competitive landscape among other potential communities looking to host this event,' reads a statement from team president Tim Lukenda. Article content The Greyhounds previously bid for the 2021 and 2024 tournaments. The first was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the second went to the Saginaw Spirit, who hosted in 2024. Article content Article content Hosting the Memorial Cup requires a significant financial commitment. City council previously approved $300,000 in funding to support the 2024 bid, drawn from the Community Development Fund–Economic Development Stream, designed to spur local economic activity. A similar investment would've been needed to support a 2027 proposal. Article content Competition for the event will also be steep. The Kitchener Rangers, Niagara IceDogs, and Guelph Storm have all expressed interest. Kitchener in particular is seen as a frontrunner, boasting a larger, 7,200-seat arena and more hotel capacity in the surrounding region. The Rangers last hosted in 2008, drawing more than 53,000 fans and generating a $1.95 million profit — the most lucrative Memorial Cup in CHL history. Article content Article content Guelph hosted its only Memorial Cup in 2002, while the IceDogs have never held the tournament at the decade-old Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. Article content 'Competing to host the Memorial Cup would require significant financial and logistical commitments, and our responsibility is to ensure that any bid we submit is both achievable and competitive against larger markets that may currently have greater capability and capacity to meet the event's extensive requirements,' Lukenda's statement reads. Article content The Hounds have hosted the tournament once, in 1993, when they captured their lone CHL championship at the old Sault Memorial Gardens. Before its 2021 cancellation, the tournament was set to be held either in the Sault or Oshawa.