Winter games logo.
MUSKOKA — The financial impact of hosting the 2010 Ontario Winter Games in Muskoka could be known within the next week.
Huntsville Coun. George Young, chair of that town’s development committee, said he has been told by officials with the Sport Alliance of Ontario that a study outlining the economic benefits should be completed shortly.
“They did a study while the event was on. They have a process they go through to get an analysis of the economic benefits. What they are doing now is putting together that information and when they finish that we will be putting it out there,” he said.
The Sport Alliance is a not-for-profit provincial sport management agency with a mandate to support personal and community development through sport opportunities. The group is responsible for awarding the games to respective communities.
Prior to the start of the 2010 events, alliance officials estimated the games would generate between $3 million and $4 million in economic benefits for the local economy.
Financial report
Young said he expects the financial report will be brought to Huntsville’s economic development committee table through its events tourism subcommittee.
“I am hoping to have the information to us by the time the Canadian Sport Tourism Association meets in Toronto on April 21-23,” he said last week.
The Ontario Winter Games, which took place in Muskoka March 4-7, featured sports such as men’s and women’s ice hockey, five-pin bowling, badminton, biathlon, boxing, curling, diving, fencing, figure skating, gymnastics, judo, ringette, shooting, skiing (alpine, freestyle and cross-country), speed skating, squash, synchronized swimming, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
The majority of the events were held in Muskoka, while some of the competitions — squash, five-pin bowling, diving and speed skating — were held in Sudbury.