The City of Kamloops has been named as the host of the 2028 BC Winter Games, as the BC Games Society prepares to celebrate 50 years of competition.

“I think Kamloops is perfectly positioned to host the 50th celebration of the BC Winter Games,” BC Games Society chair Niki Remesz told NL Sports. “Our winter here is phenomenal, its a place where we can get out and play.”

“We can support our youth with the average age of 14 coming to the game. its a great way of promoting and developing leadership in our youth.”

It’ll be the third time that Kamloops has hosted the BC Winter Games, having previously done so in 2018 and in 1979 – the first edition of the BC Winter Games.

Kamloops also hosted the BC Summer Games in 2006, with the 2028 edition set to be held in Penticton, where the first edition was held back in 1978.

The BC Games Society says the two communities were the only communities invited to apply to host the upcoming games, in a bid to recognize their role in shaping the history of the Games, which have now been held in communities across the province.

“We were looking ahead and looking at what would make the most sense for upcoming games,” Remesz added. “The games society worked with the Ministry and they really discussed where the best location would be to host these 50th celebration games, and Kamloops came out right out on top.”

“We are excited to celebrate a half century of the BC Games in 2028 and there’s no better way to do so than returning to our original hosts in Kamloops and Penticton,” Alison Noble, the President and CEO of the BC Games Society added, in a statement.

“The 2028 BC Winter and Summer Games will be an opportunity to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of our volunteers and participants over our first 50 years, and to look ahead to the stories that are still to come beyond 2028.”

The City of Kamloops is expected to welcome around 1,800 athletes along with their families, coaches, trainers. It’ll also require about 1,800 volunteers to help ensure that everything runs according to play.

Organizers say the B.C. government contributes more than $2 million each year to the BC Games Society to support the BC Summer and Winter Games as well as Team BC. They say communities can expect to see an estimated economic benefit of $2 million if they host the summer games and $1.6 million for the winter games.

“I’m fully expecting the games in 2028 will be so phenomenal and surpass all the great things that we did in 2018, and create something magical,” Remesz said.

– With files from Jon Keen