Regina set to host major LPGA tour event in 2018
Brian Fitzpatrick, Regina Leader-Post Brian Fitzpatrick, Regina Leader-Post
More from Brian Fitzpatrick, Regina Leader-Post
Published on: May 19, 2017 | Last Updated: May 19, 2017 5:30 PM CST
“I can’t imagine a bigger event for golf coming to our province,” said Greg Dukart, CEO of Wascana Country Club, as he indicated Regina will finally play host to the LPGA tour event it has long coveted.
“We’ve been working on it for close to three years,” Dukart said. “We are in the process of dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s with Golf Canada, insomuch that there’s an official press conference being called for Wednesday, June 14 at the Wascana Country Club.”
The seven-day Canadian Pacific Women’s Open is a highlight of the LPGA Tour, with the vast majority of the tour’s official money list normally competing. At present Brooke Henderson (22nd on the list) and Alena Sharp (32nd) are Canada’s top performers on the circuit.
This year’s event — one of two 2017 Canadian stops — is Aug. 21 at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. That club’s third hosting of the event will see some of the world’s best golfers play 72 holes for an overall purse of $2.25 million USD.
“We’re delighted,” said Dukart, who chaired Regina’s bid process, which was undertaken last winter. He expressed his gratitude to partners such as Tourism Saskatchewan and the City of Regina.
“It’s been a great process to be involved in; it’s going to be great for our province and our city.”
“There was a bid committee formed, and we submitted a bid back in 2014 to host the 2016 event,” he added. “At the 11th hour, the 2016 event was moved to Calgary (but) things happen when you’re dealing with corporations putting in millions and millions of dollars, and you’re working on something as big as this.”
Speaking by phone Thursday, Terry Lenyk, communications manager with Golf Canada, hinted that Regina was being looked at favourably but stopped short of outright confirmation.
“Regina is being strongly considered as host for the 2018 CP Women’s Open,” Lenyk later said by email. “We’re currently in the final stages of our future venue selection process and will be ready to make an official announcement in mid-June.”
Though he said he would leave it to Golf Canada to provide more precise tournament details, Dukart said Friday the deal is all but closed.
“We stayed in contact with Golf Canada, and the bid was consistent, so we resubmitted our bid,” Dukart said of Regina’s determined response to that failed 2016 effort. “We never were in line for 2017, that wasn’t on our radar at all.”
Dukart said the first positive indication for 2018 came from Golf Canada in March, adding that the “final documents are close to being signed off.”
“My understanding is that the LPGA players love the country, love coming to Canada,” Dukart said.
“The event is broadcast to 200 million people around the world … we’re excited about it. All the partners are and certainly our club is. I know the city will be, and I know the province will be.”
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All three retail locations left after the Superstore renovation (1 large, 2 small) have no possibility of a tenant ever wanting to move into there. A retail operator would be better served opening their store in the basement of the SGI building as they would probably get more foot traffic there than they would in the Golden Mile. It's a complete dead zone during normal business hours. The only time it gets busy in there is at night when people visit the Rack, the Rainbow or the bowling alley. When they end up renovating the old Extra Foods, those locations will all be exterior-facing as well so that's not going to help the foot traffic in the mall section at all.
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