VICTORIA, April 28, 2008... Think of the perfect venue for a major Canadian curling championship, with a combination of great fans, standout facility, stunning scenery and glorious weather.

Chris Atchison knows that place and he has been in Regina this week telling everybody he meets about it and why they need to come on down to Victoria for next year's rendition of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

It hasn't been a hard sell because, as he explains, the city almost sells itself.

"It was 14 degrees at home yesterday," said Atchison, who is chairman of the Victoria organizing committee for next year's event. "The joke going around yesterday was all we needed to attract more people is just put up the weather report. It is an attractive (selling) point."

Atchison arrived Thursday to beat the drums for Victoria, but his committee has operated a booth in the Promenade at the Brandt Centre all week, passing out pamphlets and encouraging Scotties fans to consider visiting Vancouver Island for the 2009 show, Feb. 21 to March 1. Two members of Tourism Victoria also have been on hand to sell the merits of the city and pass out information on sights and hotels.

Interest has been brisk, especially since the committee is giving away two full-week event passes to be drawn at the conclusion of the Scotties final today.

"People have been signing up like crazy for a chance to win those tickets," said Atchison. "If the sign-up rate is any indication of people wanting to come to Victoria, it's pretty impressive. For being a year away, there are a lot of people keen on the Victoria event."

The interest goes beyond the curling. Victoria is a destination city and Atchison says there's lots to do in the capital city of British Columbia.

"There's golf packages, sightseeing packages, tours of Butchart Gardens. People can make a holiday of it," he said.

But curling is the focus and Atchison predicts the city will put on a splendid show in a fabulous venue. The 2009 Scotties (its theme is Bound for Glory) will be held in the 6,000-seat Save-on Foods Memorial Centre, which was completed just in time for the 2005 Ford world men's championship.

"It's a great building for curling... the perfect size for the Scotties," Atchison said.

The Centre is right next door to the Victoria Curling Club — a mere 200 feet away — which will serve as home of the HeartStop Lounge.

Atchison, a contract manager for a not-for-profit association in Victoria, says organizers are shooting for 100,000 in attendance, which would make it one of the biggest Scotties ever.

"We're confident we can achieve that given the local response which has been strong, and from coming out here and getting a taste of the Scotties crowd in Regina. There's a lot of interest and enthusiasm about the Victoria event."

Atchison and his people are not here solely on a selling mission.

"We're here to promote the event," says Atchison, "but we also are here to learn from the experience of this host committee. We've been having meetings with co-chairs and each one of the vice-chairs. The team here has a big task of taking that information and passing it on to their directors to make sure we're ready to put on an event that rivals what's been done here."

Atchison agrees Regina has put on one fantastic show.

"This has been an amazing event and hugely successful," he agreed. "The attention to detail here has been spectacular. Every team we've talked to has been happy with the event and all of the fans we've talked to have enjoyed it. If the curlers are happy and the fans are happy, it's a winner.

"We will do our best to put on a fantastic show in Victoria.

The Victoria committee has already started its recruitment drive for 550 volunteers and there should be no shortage of raised hands.

"We have a lot of transplants in Victoria who come from the prairies," said Atchison, "so we have a very strong, vibrant curling community."

Tickets are prices at $375 for gold, $350 for silver and $300 for bronze packages.

To order tickets, call (250) 220-7777 or toll free at 866-514-5050 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com.

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