Saskatchewan Roughriders

Riders’ president Craig Reynolds sends Grey Cup swag to fans affected by hotel fiasco

by
3Down Staff
March 10, 2022

Screengrab courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders

Though some in the hospitality industry have forgotten, the Saskatchewan Roughriders still know what it means to be a good host.

A number of fans bound for the 2022 Grey Cup in Regina next November found themselves in a sticky situation last week when their reservations at the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Regina East Gate were cancelled without notice, prompting a media outcry. Now those affected from around the country have received a token of support from the host team in the form of some early Grey Cup swag.

Deb Rulé, a Stampeders fan from Cochrane, Alberta, was the first to share her swag on social media, thanking Riders’ president Craig Reynolds for his personal message.

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https://twitter.com/DebRule65/status/1501958789347491840?s=20&t=ANjfwTOfjlCBk3LF6U2sDA

Ticats fan Laura Stewart responded to the tweet indicating she had also received a care package.

A lovely gesture! Can’t wait to celebrate #GreyCup in Regina. 🇨🇦🏈🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/b854dLHRm8

— Laura Stewart (@lstewy) March 10, 2022

The allegations that the hotel was cancelling those rooms booked at lower price points for the highly lucrative event prompted an investigation from CTV Regina’s Stef Davis last week, intensifying the scrutiny of the independently owned and operated hotel.

3DownNation confirmed via telephone last week that reservations at the hotel were being restored at their original price point.

Hotel rooms are always at a premium when the CFL’s smallest city plays host to the league’s championship game. Regina reportedly sold out of hotel rooms eleven months before the 2013 Grey Cup took place, a game the hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders won over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 45-23.

The 109th Grey Cup is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 at Mosaic Stadium. The facility was originally set to host the 108th Grey Cup in 2020 but the CFL season was cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.