The two largest cities in the Maritimes on-ice rivalry is about to get a little stronger.

The QMJHL announced Friday that the Moncton Wildcats and Halifax Mooseheads will have the opportunity to present a formal bid to host the 2019 Mastercard Memorial Cup.

The Wildcats officially announced their bid to host the Canadian Hockey League’s 2019 championship tournament Friday morning, in front of a packed ballroom in downtown Moncton.

With the city's brand new, $100-million downtown arena set to open next September, the Wildcats president is optimistic in his team’s chances to host Canadian Junior Hockey’s most prestigious tournament.

"We felt it was the right time, going into the new event centre. What greater, better time to host the Memorial Cup," says Wildcats president Robert K. Irving.

Irving wants to transform the tournament into a ten day community festival, using the new arena and outdoor concert venue to its full advantage.

"We want it to be a week of full entertainment like the Memorial Cup organizers have never seen in the past," says Irving.

Moncton's mayor says events like this would be great, not only for Moncton's economy, but for all of New Brunswick.

"It's going to be an important community gathering event, but also hugely important for the region, the province and beyond. Moncton has already proven they can host world class events like this," says Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold.

Moncton last hosted the Memorial Cup back in 2006.

Halifax has already thrown its hat into the ring to bid on hosting duties as well. The Mooseheads last hosted the event in 2000.

The Saint John Sea Dogs also had a bid prepared, however the team's President says he thought the timing wasn't right.

"Last season we won the Presidents Cup, and typically in a junior cycle you wouldn't see a team go all the way and win a championship, and then two years later be in a position where they could be really competitive for a Memorial Cup. So based on that and a few other factors, we decided not to submit a bid," explains Sea Dogs President Trevor Georgie.

The next step in the process is the submission of standard bid documents which will need to be sent to the Commissioner’s office by January 15, 2018.

Moncton and Halifax will find out the fate of their bids in April of next year.

 

With files from CTV Atlantic's Mary Cranston.