Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling coming to Niagara Falls

Two-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Jones is helping the city get ready to welcome the top curlers from around the world this fall. It’s part of a growing trend of major sporting events in the Niagara region.

Jones, a 2014 Sochi games gold medalist was joined by local dignitaries and officials from the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling ahead of October’s Hearing Life Tour Challenge taking place at the Gale Centre. The biggest event on the tour’s calendar brings together the top 32 men’s and women’s teams from around the world.

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Rob Corte, vice president of Sportsnet, which owns and operates the tour says the city and the region was an obvious choice when looking for a host for their marquee event. Corte says, “…when organizations like ours or anyone is looking for a place to go to hold an event that’s going to appeal to everybody, Niagara has it all.”

The Grand Slam joins a long list of events that have chosen to call Niagara home in recent years including last year’s Canada Summer Games which board chair Doug Hamilton tells CHCH News was both a financial and sporting success. “The athletes were very positive about their experience… and importantly the legacy for Niagara has been incredible.”

In a report to Niagara regional council last week, Hamilton said the games generated an economic impact of $325 million in the region and finished with a surplus of more than $3 million.

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Hamilton says that money will be used to establish a sport legacy fund, and support a new organization called Sport Niagara, “it’ll have split focus. One will be to help bid and attract future sport events to Niagara and the other is to help support programs for young athletes in Niagara.”

Hamilton adds another part of the legacy is the facilities that came out of the games including the brand new arena Canada Games Park in Thorold and improvements at the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course which is set to host the 2024 Rowing World Championships next summer.