MINNEAPOLIS — Thursday marks 50 days until the Twin Cities host the World Junior Hockey Championship starting on December 26.

The annual international tournament is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The tournament will feature the best hockey players in the world who are under the age of 20.

Minnesota Sports and Events and several other organizations held a kickoff event at the Mall of America Thursday morning.

Wendy Williams Blackshaw, the President and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events, says the tournament is expected to have a $75 million economic impact on the Twin Cities economy and international travelers are expected to fill more than 8,000 hotel rooms.

“During this time of year, hotel occupancy in Saint Paul is about 4% to 5%. So, we are bringing tens of thousands of fans, pl

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