City hopes to dazzle Juno Awards officials on Friday

Its between Hamilton and one other city to host the 2015 Juno Awards, and officials will be in town Friday to size up the Steel City.

On Wednesday, councillors officially voted to host the awards, including spending $250,000 to make it happen. Later this week, city staff will give awards officials a tour to prove the citys worth, said Susan Monarch, manager of Tourism Hamilton.

Theyll show them Copps Coliseum, the hotels, everything, Monarch said.

She doesnt know which citythe other contender is, she said, but we havent pursued it. We believe its us.

Hamilton has hosted the Juno Awards several times over the years, but it hasnt been back to Copps Coliseum since 2001. Recent host cities include Regina, Winnipeg and St. Johns.

• Related:Hamilton wants to host the Juno Awards again

City councillors voted in May to approach the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences asking to host the ceremonies again. They also voted to establish a city music office.

This is the Grey Cup of music in our country, said Coun. Jason Farr of Ward 2 at a general issues committee meeting on Wednesday.

Its a low, low price of $250,000 from a reserve when you consider the payback were going to get as a city.

Farr said afterward that he didnt knowthe identity of the other city, but that he felt good about Hamilton's chances. So didCoun. Russ Powers of Dundas, who had heard of two other Canadian cities who wantit, but kept mum on who they were.

Coun. Sam Merulla doesnt just want to host the ceremonies in 2015.

If theres any way we can communicate that were trying to be part of the regular rotation, that would be advantageous as well, he said.

Hosting the Juno Awards would be an economic boostto Hamilton. From 2007 to 2013, a staff report says, the awards have caused an economic impact of nearly $78 million.

That includes an $11-million economic impact forOttawa, which hosted the awards in 2012.