Good luck trying to find a hotel room in Kelowna this week. The city will be jammed with visitors for what will be the largest sporting event ever hosted here.
Host Committee President David Graham says it's also the biggest 55+ games ever hosted anywhere.
Planning for the event started over a year and a half ago. With over 4,200 athletes arriving the host committee has the job of organizing 1,300 volunteers to make it possible.
"The logistics of it are just fantastic," said Graham, "and it shows again, just what Kelowna can do." The event has so many people crowding into the city that even the games organizers have struggled to accommodate their own people.
"We actually had some officials coming for some sports that we needed to find some accommodations for and we couldn't."
Not only is it the biggest sporting event Kelowna has ever hosted, but it's also the biggest BC 55+ games ever held. "Perhaps out of pride," said Graham, "We said 'let's make this the biggest games ever' and 'let's offer every sport that we can' and 'let's bring in the largest number of athletes ever' and we've achieved both."
The event used to be called the BC Seniors Games, but it turns out not every 55-year-old likes that term. "We've got people who are highly competitive, trained athletes that are looking for provincial and national and maybe even international records," said Graham, "and other people who are just here to have a good time in their sport."
The athletes arrive for accreditation tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon. Competition begins Wednesday morning with the opening ceremony 7:00 pm at Prospera Place Wednesday evening. Competition winds up Saturday afternoon with a closing ceremony at the Rotary Centre for the Arts at 1:30 pm.
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