When PotashCorp and local community leaders succeeded in bringing the Vanier Cup to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the city gained more than just a football game. It won tremendous national respect.

The 2006 game marked the first time in its 42-year history that the championship had been held outside of Southern Ontario. The PotashCorp Vanier Cup attracted a capacity crowd of more than 12,500 – despite bitter weather – and a TV audience of 589,000, making it the most watched Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) event in history.

Leading up to the game, thousands more participated in VanierFest, a three-day festival featuring popular bands, award ceremonies, food and much more – all run by local volunteers.

"Saskatoon promised us a football festival, and they did just that," said Michel Belanger, CIS media and publications director. "This Vanier Cup will be a legacy for the university and for the city of Saskatoon."

There was, however, a cost to creating that legacy.

As a condition of being awarded the Vanier Cup, the CIS required that the University of Saskatchewan's Griffiths Stadium be upgraded with artificial turf, new lighting and expanded seating. PotashCorp provided the majority of the funding needed to complete the renovations, committing Cdn $5 million for the stadium upgrades and Cdn $150,000 to sponsor the 2006 Organizing Committee.

"PotashCorp's goal was to support an event that would bring the community together in celebration," said President and CEO Bill Doyle. "And that's what the Vanier Cup did. It showcased the great efforts of the private and public sectors working together to put the University of Saskatchewan on the national stage."

Beyond the funding, PotashCorp employees provided input for the organizing committee, generated announcements, participated in speaking engagements and joined nearly 700 other volunteers to make sure the three days of Vanier Cup festivities went off without a hitch.

"We can't say enough about how much people stepped up to make this national event a success," said Vanier Cup Organizing Committee Chair Hugh Vassos, "and we couldn't have done any of this without the tremendous help and support of PotashCorp."

While acknowledging Vassos' thanks, Doyle added, "The whole event showed the tremendous spirit of community we have in Saskatoon and the strong connection between the University of Saskatchewan and the people of our province."

It's estimated that the game, the events and the tourism surrounding them generated more than Cdn $16 million for the city. But more importantly, the game raised perceptions of the University of Saskatchewan and the city of Saskatoon, thus encouraging future high-profile events that will generate even more revenue locally in years to come.

"The legacy of this game will be felt far into the future," said Vassos. "The University of Saskatchewan has a better facility which can be used by the Huskies and other local teams. More importantly, we've shown that Saskatoon is capable of hosting events of this size – and larger."

As for the Vanier Cup game itself, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies defied most predictions and qualified to play in the championship game before their hometown crowd, but lost 13-8 to rival Laval Rouge-et-Or. Despite the loss, the city was the biggest winner, earning national praise and a great deal of economic activity.