In the Nov. 24 edition of the Castlegar News, I wrote a story about how the Castlegar Rebels had written the city saying they had lost a considerable amount of income after losing their bingo nights with the opening of Chances Gaming Centre.
Fortunately, this is one story with a happy development.
New Chances General Manager Maz Artang has reached out to the Castlegar Rebels Hockey Club, offering to meet and discuss possible fundraising events.
“I’ve been meeting with the Rebels,” said Artang. “We’re ironing out details - we’re trying to create a package together to look at ways that we can essentially raise funds for the Rebels.”
Any potential events have to be cleared by the B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC), who oversees the gaming centre.
“We’re going to sit together and come up with some ideas,” he said. “We’re also going to try and use our food and beverage side to raise funds as well, maybe have a Rebels’ night, something like that. We’re going to get together with the Rebels, put together a package and submit it to BCLC and see what they say and take it from there.”
Artang says he knows the importance of supporting local sports.
“That was something I was going to do anyway, coming here. Get in touch with local sports teams and see what we can do.”
Rebel club President Jim Craig said his group is encouraged with the talks so far.
“They’ve offered some alternates to us,” he said, “in respect to entering into a cooperative venture around Castlegar Rebel bingo. They’ve pitched other ideas about what we can do as well. We have another meeting scheduled where we are going to pin things down and we’ll take it from there and see how it goes.”