Two men spearheading Kelowna’s bid to host 2026 Memorial Cup

The City of Kelowna and the Kelowna Rockets have announced the two men who will lead a bid bring the 2026 Memorial Cup to the Okanagan.

David Rush and Steve Thomson are leading the bid as co-chairs of the campaign team to bring the national championships of the Canadian Hockey League to Kelowna’s Prospera Place.

Rush, a litigator and co-founder of Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, has experience with various boards and committees including serving as president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the City of Kelowna Advisory Planning Committee.

Thomson, who served three terms as MLA for Kelowna Mission, also has experience with local organizations having served as president of the Rotary Club of Kelowna and as a member of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in the past.

Kelowna had put in a bid to host the tournament in 2020, though it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new campaign will build on the work previously done by the committee.

If successful in the bid, it would be the second time that the Rockets would play host to the ten-day tournament.

The 2026 Memorial Cup will be the 106th edition of the tournament featuring playoff champions from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, in addition to the host team.