Windsor Spitfires to host 2017 Memorial Cup

Windsor Spitfires will host the 2017 Memorial Cup, the club and the Ontario Hockey League announced Monday morning.

Celebrations began immediately following the announcement with John Savage, who is part of the team's ownership group, saying a Memorial Cup tournament in Windsor has been in the works for 10 years. 

Spitfires president Bob Boughner echoed those comments in a news release. 

"It has been a dream since day one of our ownership to bring this prestigious event to Windsor," he said. "We are very excited to give our loyal fans, who have faithfully supported the Spitfires, an opportunity to experience the pinnacle of junior hockey."

During a news conference, Mayor Drew Dilkens said the city will hold the most "memorable" Memorial Cup to date.

Next year's tournament will be the 99th edition of the MasterCard Memorial Cup, taking place May 18-28 at WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ont. The facility received high praise from OHL commissioner David Branch.  

"It is only fitting that an event of this magnitude be hosted in a world class facility like the WFCU Centre in a community that embodies dedication and over 40 years of rich history in junior hockey," he said in a news release. 

Marijke Taks, a professor of sport management in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor, lauded the decision.

"Given that this event is hosted with limited public money and that hockey is strongly embedded in the community, it will be a great event for Windsor to host," she said in an email.

Online celebration and congratulations began immediately on Twitter, including tweets from Windsor Minor Hockey president Dean Lapierre, interim president of the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, Rakesh Naidu and MPP Percy Hatfield.

Windsor last hosted the Memorial Cup in 1981. The Spitfires won back-to-back Memorial Cup championships in 2009-10. This year, the Memorial Cup is in Red Deer, Alta.

Members of the Spitfires and the 2017 Memorial Cup host organizing committee will travel to Red Deer for the 2016 Memorial Cup, which takes place May 19-29.

Information regarding ticket packages and other local initiatives for the 2017 Memorial Cup in Windsor will be announced by the host committee in the coming weeks.