An investment in our community, or a mistake? The 2010 Saskatchewan Winter Games, hosted in Moose Jaw in February, is short $95,000 and the city is on the hook for the bill.

Games Chair Tony Dreger presented the financial report to council this week and even though they have a deficit he feels the city has benefited by hosting the event.

"The games were a huge success. We had 2000 athletes come into the community, we had 7000 to 8000 spectators come to our community and check out the games, our restaurants were full, our hotels were full and we still feel that at the end of the day the games were a huge success for the community of Moose Jaw."

When asked about how the $95,000 shortfall came to be, Dreger says they simply couldn't generate the revenue at the games themselves to cover their expenses, adding they also had some issues securing corporate sponsors.

There are a couple of options for paying the bill. The City can just stroke a cheque or they can sell some of the assets that were accumulated during the games.  Sports equipment, score boards and other items were purchased for the event and could be sold to try and cover some of the costs that includes an $87,000 bill at the Heritage Inn for food.