Kelowna in hunt to host Ironman

Tuesday, 18 September 2012 02:00 Special to The Kelowna Herald

Kelowna has officially joined the race among cities hoping to host the Ironman Canada triathlon next summer.  However, no information will be released from City Hall on how much of a public subsidy might be offered to attract the sporting event.  It's a competitive process among a number of cities, so Kelowna won't discuss details of its bid package, Jim Gabriel, director of recreation and culture, said Monday.  Kelowna has a recent history of not offering organizers direct payments to bring major events to town. In fact, the promoters of events such as Centre of Gravity and, previously, Wakefest, have paid the city substantial sums to rent municipal parks and provide for on-site policing.  The previous home of Ironman Canada was Penticton. However, that city balked at the prospect of paying organizers a $75,000 "marketing fee" in each of the coming two years to keep staging the event in the South Okanagan city.  Penticton has struck a new arrangement with a European-based firm to hold a different triathlon next year. In response, the World Triathlon Corp. has invited other cities to bid on staging Ironman Canada in 2013 and beyond.  The cities of Calgary, Kamloops and Vernon are among those expressing interest in presenting bids to hold the Ironman event.  A rationale for a direct public subsidy is the considerable economic benefits that are associated with an event like Ironman. Hundreds of competitors, most from out-of-town, annually descended on Penticton in late summer for Ironman.  Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray said the city would be an ideal host for Ironman, citing what he said were its "world-class venues," a committed community and 30-year-history hosting the Kelowna Apple Triathlon.  The city's intent would be to link Ironman Canada with the Apple Triathlon, Gray says. In early September, the city conducted what staff say was a statistically valid survey that suggested 72 per cent of residents favoured Kelowna bidding on the right to hold Ironman Canada.  A decision is expected to be announced by the World Triathlon Corporation by Oct. 10. "The wheels are in motion, and we won't have to wait too long to find out where we stand," Gray said at Monday's regular council meeting.