The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 7, 2007 - 5 Canadian Open generates millions of extra tourism dollars Continued from page 1 The tournament generates $300,000 in municipal tax dollars each time it's held here, according to another number based on the provincial formula. "We were all excited about the 2008 Open coming here, and now we're doubly excited because we get it two years in a row," Best said on behalf of the OEDA. "We'll be working with the RCGA and all the players involved to attempt to make this as successful as possible and really promote the community. "The Canadian Open two years in a row is a great way to profile the beauty of Oakville." As Regional Chair Gary Carr put it, hosting the tournament at the Abbey for back-to-back years "puts us on the map internationally." "It's such a good event, so people get a chance to see Oakville, and in fact all of Halton region, because people come in and stay in surrounding areas. It's of tremendous economic ben- "We were all excited about the 2008 Open coming here, and now we're doubly excited because we get it two years in a row." Cathie Best, Interim CEO of the Oakville Economic Development Alliance efit," Carr said. "It gives us a great chance to show off what we have, the great restaurants, the great hotels. "We're very, very pleased. It's a chance for great economic development for the town and for the region as a whole." This is the record 25th time the Open has been held at Glen Abbey, a course designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus to serve as a home for the Canadian tournament. Local restaurants will be gearing up to meet the demand, a familiar position for Sharkey's, which has "a long-standing association with the Canadian Open," says Kevin Yates, Sharkey's group of Companies president. Yates called the announcement of back-to- back Canadian Opens at the Abbey "a major win for all of Oakville," and said as in past years, Sharkey's and O'Finn's Irish Temper will be among the local venues poised to serve the crowds the Open generates. Many will remember the last time the Abbey hosted the tournament, when Vijay Singh edged Canada's Mike Weir in a three-hole playoff to claim the 2004 Canadian Open title. That marked the 100th anniversary of the tournament, which was first played in 1904. The 2009 tournament will be the 100th playing of the Canadian Open, as it wasn't contested during the war years. One quarter of the tournaments have been played right here in Oakville. "Glen Abbey and the Canadian Open share a long and storied history, and we are delighted to return in 2009 for the 100th playing of our national Open championship," said RCGA Executive Director Scott Simmons. The job of hosting the Canadian open will eventually rotate among Canada's best golf courses, Simmons said, but that's still in developing stages. "The legendary Abbey has set the stage for many of the Canadian Open's most memorable moments, and as we develop our strategic plan for the event going forward, we felt that no venue would be a more fitting host for 2009." The 1977 Open, won by Lee Trevino, marked the first time Oakville played host to the PGA Tour. The 2008 Canadian Open is slated for July 2127. The 2009 tournament will be held from July 2026. Allegro central vacuu centralvacuum Allegrosystems systems POWER PACKAGE $ 299.99 Easy to install MU3300 7 year warranty, Up to 2,500 sq. ft. Buy Factory Direct with Substantial Savings Proudly Made In Oakville For Over 10 Years. 1338 SPEERS ROAD, OAKVILLE 905.825.3995 www.allegrovacuums.com THE OAKVILLE CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Friday, September 21, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. GET YOUR TICKETS AT THE BOX OFFICE · 905-815-2021