Cantwell in Spokane to Help City Secure World Figure Skating Championships
SPOKANE, WA – Sunday in Spokane, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined local officials and community members to support Spokane’s bid to host the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships. Sunday evening, Cantwell will hand deliver a letter to the Site Selection Committee in support of Spokane’s bid. Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession and Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard joined Cantwell for Sunday’s event.
“Record ticket sales and local enthusiasm for next January’s U.S. Championships in Spokane show what a great host the Inland Northwest would be for the 2009 World Championships,” said Cantwell. “Local leaders, with strong community backing, have put together a great bid and stand ready to make this event an unbeatable success. The Selection Committee would be hard-pressed to find a better host than Spokane.”
Sunday evening, Cantwell will join local bid organizers and Mayor and Mrs. Hession to host Bob Dunlap of the Site Selection Committee for dinner. At the dinner, Cantwell will personally deliver a letter in support of Spokane’s bid to Mr. Dunlop citing local enthusiasm in the lead-up to next January’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships as well as the city’s experience in hosting large-scale sporting events.
Spokane, the host city for the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, is vying to host the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships.
[The text of Cantwell’s letter to the Site Selection Committee follows below]
April 2, 2006
Site Selection Committee
2009 World Figure Skating Championships
U.S. Figure Skating
20 First Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Dear Site Selection Committee:
I would like to extend my support and enthusiasm for Washington state’s bid to host the 2009 World Figure Skating Championship in the City of Spokane. It would be a great honor for the people of my state to welcome such a compelling and prestigious competition.
Fans in Spokane take unrivaled pleasure in large-scale sporting events. When tickets were first made available for next January’s 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, first-weekend sales broke all previous records in the history of the championships. In just three days, more than 34,000 tickets were sold for admission to the competition’s various events. The World Championships, attracting more than 200 athletes from over 40 nations, would provide yet another opportunity for our community to showcase its warm hospitality and genuine interest.
The city itself has successfully supported and hosted similar major events in recent years. In 1996, Spokane saw the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials, and in 1998, it was the Memorial Cup. In 2002, Spokane hosted an international skating competition known as Smart Ones Skate America, and showed its ability to easily accommodate and warmly welcome guests to the Inland Northwest. Skate America achieved record-breaking attendance itself—a mark which will surely be surpassed by the upcoming U.S. Championships.
It is with great pleasure that I encourage you to select the State of Washington and the City of Spokane to host the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships. There is no place better suited for an event of this kind.
Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell
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