If you haven’t heard the news, Guelph is slated to get a big boost to its entertainment sector come next summer.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, left orphaned by the demolition of Ivor Wynne Stadium, have pegged Guelph as their home base for the 2013 CFL season. The team is a part of the 8 team Canadian Football League and draws an average attendance of 25,000 spectators for each home game.

Hamilton’s hosting of the upcoming Pan-Am games required major infrastructure renovation, which included the demolishing of Ivor Wynne in favour of a brand-new stadium on the same site. The extended construction timeline forced the team to explore other options, but was ultimately forced out of town by the unavailability of McMaster’s Ron Joyce Stadium.

The temporary relocation to nearby Guelph eases some of the strain playing elsewhere may cause. Primarily, ticket holders from Hamilton need only make the commute up Highway 6, rather than a 403/401 trip to TD Waterhouse Stadium in London, or to any of a number of other alternatives. Guelph’s Alumni Stadium, located off of College Ave., seats 7,500 in its grandstand but will be expanded to meet the demand of the team’s season ticket holders- topping out at a capacity of around 15,000 with temporary seating.

Mayor Karen Farbridge sees the relocation as a great opportunity for the local community. Not only is it a chance for the University of Guelph to showcase itself, but it could also provide a boost to local vendors and retailers due to the increased traffic.

All in all, the City of Guelph will get a fair bit more national attention next summer, a great chance for Canada to see the town we enjoy each and every day.