RALEIGH Canada’s loss might become North Carolina’s gain.The hosting honors for the 2018 World Equestrian Games are back up for grabs after the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park in Quebec announced in July they were unable to raise the private funds needed to host the even. North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory wants to bring the event to North Carolina.”North Carolina’s infrastructure and natural beauty make our state a natural fit to host the 2018 World Equestrian Games,” McCrory said. “We will support efforts to host the Games in our state which will provide not only a positive experience to all those attending, but a significant boost to North Carolina’s rapidly growing economy.”The Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., expressed interest in hosting the event when it was announced it would not be held in Canada.The Canadian government told the Bromont organizing committee it was unable to make up the shortfall in funding the private sector was charged with raising two-thirds of the $100 million budget for the event and by mid-July had not secured any leading to the original hosts backing out.McCrory said the United States Equestrian Association said they would support a bid for the games to come to North Carolina.The 2010 games were held in Lexington, Ky., and had a $201.5 million impact during the two-week event, according to a financial study done by the Kentucky government.
