A quick update on bids for national events.
We are in talks with Hamilton, Durham region, Kingston, Calgary and the FQE with regard to Laval just outside of Montreal as hosting opportunities for the CYCC and Canadian Open in the next few years. Hamilton was to be the venue in 2021 but Covid cancelled that unfortunately. It is possible that they will be able to put on the tournament in 2022 but due to covid, that is not yet certain. We expect to have it nailed down in the next few weeks.
Calgary for 2023 has heated up. We started out talking with their Tourism people over the last few months and then independently the president of the Calgary Chess Club Stefan Sklenka reached out to us about this idea. We have put Steve in contact with our tourism contact and he has begun assembling a first-rate team for the organizing committee.
The tourism official for Laval, we met in Halifax in 2018 over pizza the night before our speed dating session at the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance CEC conference and we have been trying to work something out with the FQE and Laval ever since and it seems to have finally come together. This bid is likely going to be for 2024.
Kingston is very interested in extending the four year arrangement with us for the Canadian Closed to make up for the two years lost due to Covid. They have budgeted for the two years that were cancelled and those funds will be able to go towards the makeup years. Aris Marghetis has asked for his bid to be extended for the two lost years and the executive was in favour with no objections.
We are in a relatively good place once the covid restrictions end as I believe there is some pent up demand from chessplayers and communities looking for these events.