The Memorial Cup host committee says it took a hit when it had to pay the Canadian Hockey League $3.65 million just to host the event.
The committee says everything, including with the Eagles concert and opening ceremonies, cost more than $12.5 million, and the committee lost about $2 million.
"We expected that we would have to underwrite it, we were prepared to do that. We were competing against the Hamilton Bulldogs that wanted it there. They have a 19,000 seat arena,” committee chair Shaun Semple said.
The cost to pay the CHL combined with the smaller size of the Brandt Centre resulted in tickets costing $71 a seat. But the committee wanted the Regina Pats to play in the 100th memorial cup and was willing to take a hit.
"When we bought the team four years ago that was the plan. Was to bring the team back here for the 100th,” Semple said.
Semple adds empty seats at games don't necessarily mean the ticket wasn't sold. In the end, he's hopeful up to 90 to 95 per cent of the tickets will be sold.
Mayor Michael Fougere calls the event a success, and says it shows Regina can handle hosting something of this caliber.
"What we learned is that we are able to do these things all the time. And we get better at it all the time as well,” Fougere said.
The host committee will disband following the tournament, as they were committed to the Memorial Cup. Semple says he would like to see the Memorial Cup return to Regina sometime in the future.
