The first step was to brand the city as the Tournament Capital of B.C. But that didn’t seem ambitious enough, so we became the Tournament Capital of Canada, later changed to Canada’s Tournament Capital for marketing reasons.
Those who initially opposed investing in sports and recreation facilities in a big way were soon grateful they hadn’t defeated those projects. The Tournament Capital brand has been an undeniable success, bringing in well over a hundred tournaments every year but also providing opportunities for local folks unmatched anywhere else in the country.
Certainly, the next step in amenities is to get a performing arts centre off the ground and that one remains a challenge, but our Tournament Capital moniker, and the facilities we built to make it a reality, are something to boast about.
Life is good in the Tournament Capital, and we can thank, in part, the residents who said yes instead of no 20 years ago.
I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops, alternate TNRD director and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He can be reached at [email protected].
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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.
