An deal yesterday between the Borderland Thunder and the owner of the Memorial Sports Centre’s main food outlet over concession rights during next week’s Dudley Hewitt Cup here has scuttled fears the tournament may be cancelled.
Thunder vice-president Sam Bruyere said the outcome of a meeting between himself, Thunder president Shawn Jourdain, Carol’s Canteen owner Carol Barrell, Community Services manager George Bell, and Mayor Glenn Witherspoon was a “win-win” proposition.
“The Thunder are happy, Carol is happy, and the town reps are happy,” said Bruyere, who had stated Friday afternoon that the April 22-26 tournament, which will crown the Central Canadian Junior ‘A’ hockey champion, was in danger of not going forward.
Without the concession rights, he noted, the event would lose so much money that it would not make financial sense for the local team to go through with it.
Jourdain said Monday that Bell had promised them last spring that the Thunder would be able to “tap into a percentage” of the concession brought in by the canteen during the Dudley Hewitt Cup because it was considered a “special event” by the town, which allows the event certain privileges.
But after the matter was brought before town council last month, a committee looking into the situation denied the Thunder the right to any concession money—stating the contract between Barrell and the town ensuring her full concession rights from the canteen had to be honoured.
Jourdain said the Thunder had budgeted an unspecified amount as part of their tournament planning that was tied directly to the team having at least a portion of the concession rights.
The agreement reached yesterday will see Barrell maintain full concession rights for the canteen while the Thunder will be allowed to serve food items in the upstairs auditorium as part of their nightly beer gardens.
The team also will be allowed to organize tailgate parties in front of the arena on whichever nights of the tournament they choose, with the condition that they inform Barrell ahead of time so she does not prepare too much food ahead of time for her own business.
Barrell was satisfied with the outcome, but wished team management had approached her earlier about their concerns.
“I want to support the Thunder just like anybody else—I love that team,” she stressed. “It’s just that I felt insulted that I was to blame for their failure [to make money off of the tournament].
“I’m not unreasonable. I don’t do this for the money, I do it because I love being here,” Barrell added. “I wish [the Thunder] well.”
Bruyere said Barrell’s contributions to the facility were greatly appreciated, adding she’s even gone so far as to create a “Thunder” burger.
“She did a lot of hard work to get the canteen to where it’s at,” said Bruyere, though adding the new arrangement still means the tournament might end up running a deficit.
“The bottom line is the town and her have a contract,” he said.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
