The City of North Bay is reporting that the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship had a $7.299-million economic impact on the city.
A globally televised event, the championship was held March 17-25 at the city’s Memorial Gardens, attracting thousands to the city, with millions more watching around the world. It was only the third time in the history of the event to be held in Ontario, and the first to be held in the North.
“In addition to the economic spinoff to our community we were able to showcase our city to the world during the Ford World Women’s Curling Championships,” North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said in a July 26 news release.
“The event organizers, athletes, and visitors were amazed by our hospitality and facilities. The success could not have happened without efforts of the work of the organizing committee and the hundreds of volunteers who worked closely with city and Curling Canada resources.
“We are looking forward to hosting more curling events in the city.”
In evaluating the economic impact, the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance looked at how much out-of-town attendees spent while at the event, how much organizers invested to put on the event, and the capital construction costs directly attributed to the event.
Katherine Henderson, CEO of Curling Canada, called the championship a “resounding success.”
“We were thrilled to see the City of North Bay reap so many positive benefits from hosting the event,” she said in the release.
“We've seen this repeatedly over the years as Canadian cities gain national and international exposure from hosting Curling Canada championships, and I know that based on what transpired last March in North Bay, I'm sure the city will be in the mix for a future championship event.”
