Greater Victoria may bid for 2013 Juno awards
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Updated: July 09, 2009 3:12 PM
Greater Victoria is making a run at hosting the 2013 Juno Awards.
Four years after a local group made an unsuccessful bid for the 2007 Junos for the region, the wheels are in motion to put together a bid for 2013.
"This makes sense for us, it gets into developing the arts and culture economies and it has the benefits of doing it in the shoulder (tourist) season," said Victoria Coun. Chris Coleman, who was part of the original bid group.
That effort started a little late in the process, he said. The group was informed early on that the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) had already selected Saskatoon as 2007 host city.
The idea went onto the back burner after that, Coleman said, but recently he was contacted by a friend who worked on this year's Vancouver Juno Awards committee. The friend indicated the time might be right for Greater Victoria to try again, perhaps for the 2013 Junos, likely the next time the four-day musical celebration will return to the West Coast.
Music B.C. played a key role in facilitating the Vancouver bid for the Junos. Music B.C. staff have tentatively agreed to organize a series of summer workshops outlining how best to proceed with a bid, Coleman said.
Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre would be the likely venue for the awards ceremony, but the related activities leading up to the gala would give communities around the region an opportunity to share in the celebration, he said.
"I think it's important that the region is seen as the winner in this," Coleman said. "It has to be seen throughout the whole community as a regional win."
A business proposal would be written following the workshops in August and be presented to regional and community representatives. After that a bid committee would be struck.
CARAS usually announces host cities two years ahead of the ceremonies.
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