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Kingston, Ont. loses 2024 Memorial Cup hosting bid to Saginaw, Mich.

The memorial cup trophy is carried onto the ice prior to the first game of the Memorial Cup championship between the Hamilton Bulldogs and the host Saint John Sea Dogs in Saint John, N.B. on Monday, June 20, 2022. (Darren Calabrese/THE CANADIAN PRESS) The memorial cup trophy is carried onto the ice prior to the first game of the Memorial Cup championship between the Hamilton Bulldogs and the host Saint John Sea Dogs in Saint John, N.B. on Monday, June 20, 2022. (Darren Calabrese/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
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The 2024 Memorial Cup will not be hosted in Kingston.

The Canadian Hockey League announced Wednesday that the annual championship will take place in Saginaw, Mich., marking the first time in 26 years that the tournament will be held in the United States. It's also the first time an American team in the Ontario Hockey League has hosted the tournament.

"We are thrilled to bring the Memorial Cup to the state of Michigan for the first time in the event’s history," said CHL President Dan MacKenzie in a news release. "The Spirit and City of Saginaw submitted a remarkable bid and we have no doubt that they will do an outstanding job of hosting our CHL championship next year."

The last U.S. city to host the tournament was Spokane, Wash. in 1998.

Four OHL teams were bidding on the prestigious tournament: the Saginaw Spirit, the Kingston Frontenacs, the Niagara IceDogs, and the Soo Greyhounds.

Kingston city council had pledged to provide $635,000 in financial support had the bid been successful.

The annual tournament features the playoff championships from the OHL, the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). More details about Saginaw's hosting of the 2024 Memorial Cup will be announced at a media conference Thursday afternoon in Saginaw and on CHL TV.

The 2023 Memorial Cup, meanwhile, is scheduled to take place May 25 to June 4 in Kamloops, B.C. The QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques lead the CHL's top 10 rankings this week. The Ottawa 67's are the highest ranked OHL team this week at #6, with a franchise-record 51 wins this season.

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