Jets Whiteout street parties get $400,000 shot from province
Last season, the province provided $2,000 toward the nearly $2.2M cost
The Winnipeg Jets Whiteout street parties have scored a major assist from the provincial government, which is providing up to $400,000 to help fans celebrate the team's 2019 playoff run.
The money — $100,000 for each playoff round reached by the Jets on their quest to the Stanley Cup — will be used by Travel Manitoba to help the city and True North Sports and Entertainment host the parties during every home game.
There were nine Whiteout parties during last season's playoffs, when the Jets went to three rounds. The tab was nearly $2.2 million.
- The province kicked in $2,000 through Travel Manitoba.
- True North spent $1,084,900.
- The City of Winnipeg ponied up $962,000.
- Economic Development Winnipeg contributed $120,000.
This year, the parties also have a title sponsor, Tim Hortons, but they are no longer free to attend. Individual tickets are $5 and there is a limit of four per person per game.
Money from the tickets will go to United Way to pass along to agencies working in the city.
In 2018, the Whiteout street parties started out as free events and quickly mushroomed in size to the point where the parties snaked around streets near BellMTS Place and forced organizers to cap capacity at 27,000 per event.
The Jets begin the first round of the 2019 playoffs on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues.
Tickets for the Whiteout party for that game and Game 2 on Friday are available on the team's website.
Tickets for future games, if necessary, will be made available once those games are confirmed.
The first two street parties are set for the following times:
- April 10. Gates open at 5 p.m., game starts 7 p.m.
- April 12. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., game starts 8:30 p.m.
