I have attended all the Olympic curling trials since curling was made an official Olympic sport.. Halifax set the standard for hospitality. That included welcoming atmosphere, friendliness, food, and entertainment. The advance package for Winnipeg was the thinnest. The envelope contained just the tickets; no advice on entertainment venues, food, the draws, or even a blurb from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. And it arrived just the week before the event and after I had followed up to make sure it wasn;t lost. Although I eventually learned the inside way to get to the Brier patch, it was a long way from the arena. The limited food in the patch was poor. I tried the Ukrainian platter ($12) one evening. It comprised a mass of potato, cheese, and dough all stuck together with 2 - count 'em - 2 little pieces of onion, some slaw, a cold rice cabbage roll, and a hunk of cold garlic coil. No bun, no condiments, a plastic fork but no knife.
The Hooters chicken wings the next night were worth the wait, largely because of the breasts and thighs that came with them. They were good enough to order a second time, but the second time they were cold and tasted freezer burned.
The food in the MTS centre was excellent however; especially the meals from the Carvery.
The curling was superb. The best competition by far of any of the trials, briers, Scotties, or worlds I have attended.
The only knock I have on the curling is likely to be directed at the CCA. It was a surprise to me - and to all of the people sitting around me, that the first tie-breaker was not dependent upon what each rink's record was against the others, but was predetermined by some convoluted skill point system that was held behind closed doors and not privy to the fans, the paying customers, or, to my knowledge, even the TV folks. That has the smell of the Olympic committee and their notorious judging systems.
