The 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver, B.C. generated a $121.9 million economic impact, according to a study from Sport Tourism Canada.
The six-day festival was attended by 547,698 people, 53,365 of whom came from out of town. 96 percent of out-of-town guests stayed overnight, 65 of whom did so at a hotel or motel. Visitors reportedly spent $45.6 million in support of the local economy.
“The magnificent staging of the 111th Grey Cup and Festival is a tribute to our staff, partners and the hundreds of volunteers who made the week a special endeavour for the City of Vancouver and Canadian Football League,” said Lions president Duane Vienneau in a statement.
“When we were first awarded the game in November 2022, our owner Amar Doman made it his mission to give CFL fans from coast to coast a party they won’t soon forget. We’re very proud to have hosted a highly successful Grey Cup in Vancouver for the entire CFL family.”
In March, Sport Tourism Canada awarded the 111th Grey Cup Festival with its PRESTIGE Award for Marquee Event of the Year. 615 local jobs and 800 volunteers supported the festival, which was B.C.’s first since 2014.
“Congratulations to Amar Doman, the B.C. Lions organization, all of our tremendous partners and the many volunteers who had a hand in bringing the 111th Grey Cup to life,” said outgoing CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
“It was truly incredible to see the entire city light up and beam with pride over our great game. From the cheers in the stands and the joy in the streets, to the shouts of excitement from ziplines everywhere — fans from every corner of our amazing country came together and had a celebration for the ages.”
The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 41-24 in front of 52,349 fans at BC Place Stadium. The game drew an average English-language television audience of 3.89 million people, a 19.9 percent increase from 2023. The halftime performance from The Jonas Brothers drew an average audience of 4.5 million.
“It was an incredible honour for Vancouver to host the 111th Grey Cup and welcome fans from across the country. The Grey Cup Festival had everything from ziplines and live music to local vendors, and it brought an amazing energy to our city,” said Vancouver mayor Ken Sim.
“With more than 50,000 visitors, it gave a big boost to our local economy and put Vancouver in the national spotlight. A huge congratulations to the B.C. Lions and the entire organizing team. You’ve truly raised the bar for how we celebrate and bring people together in our city.”
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