Medicine Hat to outbid Lethbridge for 2026 Memorial Cup
Medicine Hat city council on Tuesday unanimously approved, in principle, funding to support the Tigers junior hockey franchise should it win an intended bid to host the Canadian Hockey League’s 2026 Memorial Cup.
The city will provide just over $1.9 million total, including $1.25 million in cash and $655,000 through “in kind” services — a standard ask for host cities.
The economic impact from hosting Canada’s top junior hockey championship can infuse many times that, data from other host cities suggest, according to city staff.
The city’s financial contribution is a crucial part of the Tigers’ bid, a revenue item that will help offset the millions in expenditures and keep ticket prices lower, staff said.