[wags]

It's official:

https://globalnews.ca/news/3962987/c...odeo-red-deer/

Red Deer was named as the new host of the Canadian Finals Rodeo at an announcement made at the ENMAX Centrium hockey arena on Tuesday evening.

The massive rodeo event has been held at Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum for its entire 44-year run. But when the city decided to shut down the facility, the CFR had to look for a new home in 2018 and beyond.

The operators of Edmonton’s new arena, Rogers Place, decided not to bid on hosting the rodeo.

Red Deer and Saskatoon were both vying for the event. Back in November after making the bid, the CEO of Westerner Park said he was asking for a multi-year deal.

“We’d like CFR’s new home to be Red Deer,” Ben Antifaiff said in November. “To us, I think it means at least 10 years, but it could be the next 40 or more years in central Alberta.”

READ MORE: OEG won’t be bidding on Canadian Finals Rodeo

The Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Professional Rodeo Association were on hand for Tuesday’s announcement at the ENMAX Centrium, the home of the Red Deer Rebels hockey team. The arena has about 6,600 seats but can be expanded to allow for a crowd of 8,000.

The CFR started in 1974 and draws thousands of visitors yearly. It also offers one of the richest purses in Canada.