Winnipeg City chosen as NHL Face-Off Festival Host inauguration of new 2011-2012 season -NHL Update
This year, Winnipeg will certainly be given special treatment, not only because it has received a new National Hockey League (NHL) franchise after nearly 15 years of waiting but will play host to the 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off festival to inaugurate
the new season on October 6.
Canada, already being the hockey loving country that it is, has announced a national holiday on that day, as the nation prepares to watch the first NHL game of the new season, especially to see Winnipeg Jets play.
The national holiday just got better as Molson-Coors and the NHL announced a partnership in throwing a historic party for hockey fans, the biggest welcome party of its kind for Jets.
“The start of hockey season is a national holiday in Canada”, Molson-Coors president, Dave Perkins, said in a news release. “We plan to help the NHL throw the biggest ‘Welcome Home’ party hockey fans in Winnipeg have ever seen”.
Forks, a place in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, has been chosen to be the venue for the main location. The event is scheduled to have live music, a broadcast of the season opening game between Toronto Maple Leafs and a formal introduction of all the members
of Winnipeg Jets.
Chairman and governor of True North Sports & Entertainment, Mark Chipman, also the ownership group of Winnipeg’s newly relocated team, termed the decision by the league as perfectly timed.
"We are honored the National Hockey League has chosen Winnipeg and the Jets to host the season-opening event for the NHL year", said Mark Chipman "The entire province has been captivated by the return of the NHL to Winnipeg and we are certain the excitement
and support of this festival will be just like everything else so far this summer – overwhelming".
In view of the previous incident which included riots in Vancouver, Winnipeg police officials will be on high alert to stop all happenings which could lead in harming other citizens and disrupt the peace. There will not be any moveable objects near the venue,
making the chances of violent behaviour minimum.
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