By Ian Hamilton, Leader-Post November 24, 2010
EDMONTON — Hugh McKay enjoyed the calm before the storm Wednesday.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders' manager of facilities and stadium operations was wandering around the West Edmonton Mall, picking up a few things.
Thursday, things will pick up for McKay, and in a big way.
In addition to his aforementioned job with the CFL's Roughriders, McKay also chairs the Riderville committee — and Riderville opens its doors here Thursday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
In addition to his aforementioned job with the CFL's Roughriders, McKay also chairs the Riderville committee — and Riderville opens its doors here Thursday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
In Grey Cup parlance, that means the mother of all parties is about to begin.
"I totally expect crowds similar to Calgary last year and very long wait times," McKay said as his last relaxed day of Grey Cup week wound down. "But we're going to do everything we can to get people through."
Riderville in 2009 was indeed epic.
On the Saturday night before the Grey Cup game was played at Calgary's McMahon Stadium, the lineup outside the Telus Convention Centre at one point reportedly numbered 5,000.
The wait time to get into the place that night was four to six hours. One can only guess how long the wait time was to get into the bathrooms.
Over the three days that Riderville was open, more than 28,000 alcoholic beverages were sold. The average ended up in the neighbourhood of 9,500 drinks per day — and Thursday at Riderville is usually just a warmup day.
"There weren't any behaviour problems, though," McKay said. "We turned the room over a couple of times. We're talking maybe 4,000 people with a capacity (in the room) of 1,500. That's only a couple of drinks per person — depending on the person, of course."
Over the three days that Riderville was open, more than 28,000 alcoholic beverages were sold. The average ended up in the neighbourhood of 9,500 drinks per day — and Thursday at Riderville is usually just a warmup day.
"There weren't any behaviour problems, though," McKay said. "We turned the room over a couple of times. We're talking maybe 4,000 people with a capacity (in the room) of 1,500. That's only a couple of drinks per person — depending on the person, of course."
The attendance figures likely were spiked because the Roughriders were playing the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup, bringing Saskatchewan fans (and ex-pats living in Calgary) to downtown Cowtown in search of a party.
The same goes this year: The Roughriders are to meet Montreal in Sunday's CFL final at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium, so fans are expected to flock here from the province next door.
Riderville attracts fans of every CFL team, though, and likely even non-football fans who are looking to let their hair down. Liquid refreshments flow, bands play, cheerleaders do their routines, VIPs gather, people dressed in colourful get-ups mingle — and did we mention that liquid refreshments flow?
Patrons this year are to be entertained by the likes of Kenny Shields and Streetheart, Wonderland, Two for the Show and Mobadass. The people themselves often provide a few entertaining moments as well, but it's rarely anything too over the top.
"It's wild in a fun way," McKay said. "I've been at every Grey Cup but '07 over the past 10 years and the nice thing about the fans is that they love the party, but they're still great fans."
Those fans also may visit some of the bashes put on by other teams during Grey Cup week — the B.C. Lions Den, Tiger Town (home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' party), the Wiser's Double Blue Bash (where the Toronto Argonauts' fan(s) can be seen) — but it seems that Riderville truly is a must-see.
It certainly is that way for McKay, who said Riderville is "one thing I've
always enjoyed being part of."
He was to be at the Shaw Conference Centre Thursday at 8 a.m., to begin setup and, other than attending the Roughriders' team dinner Friday, he expects to be at Riderville for most of the next three days and nights.
"We found a couple of nice restaurants here and they've been filling us in kingly fashion," he said. "I'll have a good meal at one of them tonight, get to bed early and then, starting tomorrow, I won't see my hotel room a whole lot."
"We found a couple of nice restaurants here and they've been filling us in kingly fashion," he said. "I'll have a good meal at one of them tonight, get to bed early and then, starting tomorrow, I won't see my hotel room a whole lot."
One thing McKay doesn't expect to hear this week is much griping over the name of the party he oversees.
To mark the Roughriders' centennial this year, the team held a "Where is Riderville?" contest. Avonlea won the competition and earned that title, but that burg is a long way from the lower level of the Shaw Conference Centre.
"I'm sure any town that wins the Riderville title in the future would give it up happily for three days of Grey Cup week," McKay said, before adding with a laugh, "especially if we win."
Party on.
ihamilton@leaderpost.com
Leader-Post sportswriter Murray McCormick will be tweeting Roughrider news this week from Edmonton. You can follow him at twitter.com/McCormickMurrayRead more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riderville+party+begins+Shaw+Conference+Centre/3880427/story.html#ixzz16IXJgwe8
Leader-Post sportswriter Murray McCormick will be tweeting Roughrider news this week from Edmonton. You can follow him at twitter.com/McCormickMurrayRead more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riderville+party+begins+Shaw+Conference+Centre/3880427/story.html#ixzz16IXJgwe8
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