Tourism Saskatoon making pitch for new arenas

Tourism Saskatoon wants to get a discussion started on new arenas.
 
Randy Fernets, director of industry development and sports tourism, said the organization made submissions in the run up to the city’s long term growth plan about the potential for a downtown sports facility.
 
He said such facilities have helped revitalize parts of downtown cores in cities like Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
 
But, he noted that while those cities all have NHL franchises to draw people into their downtown arenas, other cities are making it work without big-league hockey.
 
“If we look at what Richmond, BC has done with the Olympic Oval, in creating a facility that everyone wants to move closer to … it’s seen the redevelopment of an old warehouse district into a community,” he said.
 
Fernets said it was likely going to be some time before any downtown arena could be built. But with the city yards set to be relocated out of the north downtown area in favour of the new Civic Operations Centre being built near the landfill — he said now’s the time to start having discussions.
 
“A downtown complex makes sense. And again, when we talk about the growth plan, looking at that thing — we should start assembling land now for the future,” he said.
 
Fernets acknowledged the SaskTel Centre is likely to see many more years of use. With recent expansion of parking at the facility, he said Tourism Saskatoon would also like to see the addition of another, smaller, venue at the site.
 
He said right now the city sees lucrative events going to smaller centres due to a lack of a right-sized building.
 
“I look at figure skating, I look at some of the hockey events. Sometimes they’re turned away because our facility is too large … and then the warm-up surface is not there,” he said.
 
Fernets said that means events using the SaskTel Centre can end up sending competitors off-site to warm up. He said the addition of a smaller venue could also provide opportunities to hold cabarets following events in the bigger building — increasing revenues at the city-operated facility.
 
Tourism Saskatoon is planning a summit on the arenas issue. Fernets said it was likely to be held within the next six weeks.