World-class events always seem to be making their way to Penticton and that doesnât sit well with Âé¶čAV Mayor Colin Basran.
âHow many years must Âé¶čAV residents watch shows and concerts bypass Âé¶čAV and go to Penticton,â he asked during a radio interview on AM 1150 last week.
The South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton has welcomed Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, and the Harlem Globetrotters in 2022 alone, with the pending arrival of Ringo Starr set for Oct. 9. Not to mention, the venueâs hosting of John Fogerty, Rihanna, Megadeth, Bad Company, Chicago and Carrie Underwood over the last several years.
Basranâs comments came in response to Âé¶čAVâs Prospera Place missing out on hosting the 2023 Memorial Cup due to âsignificant deficienciesâ at the facility.
The city was set to host the 2020 edition of the CHL tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic put a wrench in those plans. Âé¶čAV is still waiting to once again be home to the prestigious Canadian junior hockey finals, as a result.
A recent audit commissioned by the Âé¶čAV Rockets found that Prospera Place does not meet the CHLâs standards for hosting the Memorial Cup, something that appeared to have prompted Basran to think about Penticton and the current state of its facility.
Rockets statement regarding the 2023 Memorial Cup:
â Âé¶čAV Rockets (@Âé¶čAV_Rockets)
The 2023 Memorial Cup will instead be played in Kamloops.
Even though the SOEC regularly welcomes high-profile acts â most recently Canadian country star Dallas Smith on June 3 â Âé¶čAV isnât exactly getting the short end of the stick in the entertainment category.
Award-winning rockers Greta Van Fleet and Bryan Adams will appear at Prospera Place this August and November, respectively.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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