Vancouver sports bars and other tourism businesses stand to see business boosted as National Hockey League (NHL) plans its return to the ice.
The NHL and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced early January 6 that they had reached an agreement on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement to end a 113-day NHL lockout.
The two parties announced a deal “in principle” to replace the previous collective bargaining agreement, which expired September 15.
The NHL has not yet announced a start date of the season or the number of games each team will play.
Ian Tostenson, president and CEO of the BC Restaurant & Foodservices Association, said the lockout has been damaging for downtown Vancouver businesses. He said bars, in particular, have been hit hard.
“For the downtown core, it was probably $1 million a game that [the lockout] cost restaurants, bars and probably hotels.”
The return of hockey, he said, would see those dollars come back.
