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Aud events keep Kitchener front and centre BY LORIANN LIVINGSTON When the Memorial Cup came to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex - affectionately known as The Aud - in 2008, it came with dollar signs. Ten million of them, at best guess. An estimated 3,000 hotel room nights were booked during the 10-day tournament, not to mention the spin-off benefits for local restaurants, stores and shops as thousands of hockey fans converged.
and into the United States, not to mention viewers on national television networks. And The Aud isn’t just about major sporting events. More than a dozen adult and minor hockey tournaments come to The Aud annually, attracting athletes and spectators to the restaurants and hotels in the area, while six to eight religious conventions annually attract more than 30,000 people to the area for several weekends throughout the year. Cheerleading is growing in popularity, and the Aud has hosted several cheerleading competitions that attract 2,500 to 3,000 athletes – often accompanied by their families - to stay for the weekend in Kitchener to compete in a provincial or national championship.
THE CROWD INSIDE THE AUD AT A KITCHENER RANGERS GAME.
The impact of an event such as the Mastercard Memorial Cup is not just economic. The city’s own hometown favourites, the Kitchener Rangers, played in the final match against the Spokane Chiefs to the cheers of hockey-wild local crowds. Hosting the championship was a huge boost to the city’s own spirit and created a memorable experience for visitors. As one of two remaining not-for-profit hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Peterborough being the other – the Rangers’ contribution to the city, and to its fans, fosters a unique and reciprocal relationship with the community. Events such as HomeSense Skate Canada International 2009, the World Junior Figure Skating Championship and the Scott Tournament of Hearts put The Aud – and the city of Kitchener – on display for spectators and visitors from across the country,
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Whether it’s premier sporting events or leading entertainers, Kitchener is more and more becoming a destination that counts for people outside the region. For residents in the region, The Aud is not only a big-city venue offering entertainment at affordable prices, it offers a baseball field featuring inter-county baseball games, a skate park and hockey arenas – it is a hub in the community simply because it is owned by the community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LoriAnn Livingston LoriAnn Livingston is currently employed by the City of Kitchener in the Marketing and Communications Department as a Communications and Marketing Associate.