Single tickets available for Team Challenge Cup

Local organizers hosted a news conference Monday to announce that single-ticket sales would open today for the upcoming Team Challenge Cup skating event.

The first-time event will feature 42 skaters on three teams from Europe, Asia and North America on April 22-24 at the Spokane Arena.

“We are 143 days from” the event, said Toby Steward, who worked with Barb Beddor at Star USA to capture the bid. “We are so excited. For us in this business, that’s like two weeks from now.”

Beddor and Steward will be working with Garco Construction CEO Tim Welsh on the design and construction of the boxes that will house the 14 skaters from each team and coaches.

Welch called the box plans “very preliminary. We know they need to be 15 feet wide and 20 feet long,” he said.

The design also calls for solid surface over the boxes to allow media members or officials close to the ice.

“We’ll look to see what they’ve done at other venues,” said Welsh, whose company built the Spokane Arena and McCarthey Athletic Center. “We will work with U.S. Figure Skating. We’ll make sure it’s world class.”

The boxes will need to be prefabricated and then brought in pieces to be assembled a couple days before the event. They will not be permanent features at the venue, he said.

“We’ll come up with the design for the three teams,” Welsh said. “It’s going to be a great event for Spokane.”

Also on hand Monday was skating legend Tanith Belbin White, who teamed up with partner Benjamin Agosto to win five U.S. team championships and the silver in the 2006 Olympics in ice dancing.

She will pair with former U.S., world and Olympic champion figure skater Scott Hamilton to provide play-by-play for the Team Challenge Cup.

“It is a true privilege to be able to share this experience with someone as outstanding as Scott Hamilton,” White said. “This is a very special chance for audiences to come see what team events are like.”