PORTLAND – The doors to the fourth level balcony at Merrill Auditorium swung open, and the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, 5,000 pipes began their fanfare – O, Canada, of course.

Portland’s premier theater was the final stop Wednesday for a group of four men – it would have been five, save for a scheduling conflict – who will decide the fate of the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup.

To say the group, led by former New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord, was impressed, would be an understatement.

“From the owner down to the volunteers, they love hockey,” Lord said. “We met the coach, we met some of the players, and they obviously love playing here. Everything has been first-class. The facilities are, some of the venues are just outstanding. It was very impressive.”

The men – Lord, Jacques Gauthier, Stephane Quintal, Camille Theriault and Michel Cote – are charged with determining the best site for the league to host the Memorial Cup in 2009.

Cote, the president of the QMJHL’s hall of fame selection committee, was missing Wednesday, but the other four, along with Maineiacs’ owner Mark Just and president Matt McKnight, toured Portland for the better part of the day, inspecting sites for banquets, receptions, awards ceremonies and, of course, the tournament itself.

“Each part of the day was different in its own regard,” McKnight said. “But it’s pretty hard to top a pipe organ.”

McKnight, along with Portland Pirates’ CEO Brian Petrovek and their staffs, has been working on the bid for nearly a year. It includes sections on logistics, team competitiveness and finance, among others.

First-time committee member Stephane Quintal, a 15-year NHL veteran who played in the QMJHL for Granby and Hull in the 1980s, was impressed by the team’s presentation.

“I have to say, I’m very impressed with what they did today,” Quintal said. “They set the bar pretty high for the other cities.”

Also included in the entourage was league commissioner Gilles Courteau.

“It was very well done,” Courteau said of the Maineiacs’ presentation. “That’s exactly what it should be. The event itself is the No. 1 event in the CHL. They’ve made the bid so far at the same level as what the event itself is.”

McKnight, who has been optimistic about the bid’s chances for success from Day 1, said Wednesday that he saw no reason to change his outlook.

“From the moment they stepped off the plane (Tuesday) night after an 11-hour day of travel, they were in great spirits,” McKnight said. “That’s all we can ask for. “They’ve been very receptive to what we’ve presented so far, their response has been positive.”

Even Just, who has a history of apprehension in big moments and a justified skeptical eye toward the league’s operations, said Wednesday he’s hopeful.

“There isn’t one thing I didn’t feel was outstanding,” Just said. “I know we put our best foot forward. I’m cautiously optimistic. I think we have a good chance.”

Lewiston/Portland is battling with four other sites – Halifax, Shawinigan, Rimouski and Chicoutimi – to host the tournament, which would culminate on Memorial Day weekend of 2009.

“Until the final announcement is made, we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We’re going to continue to push and try and grow what our initial plans are to make a bigger and better event.”

The committee’s decision is due in early April.