The Brandt-REAL deal gets the OK from Regina council. What’s next?

Now that Regina City Council has given its blessing to Brandt’s purchase of part of the REAL District, a lot of details have to be worked out.

Brandt’s owner and chief executive officer is eager for the challenge.

Read more:

• Delegates get final chance to sway Regina councillors before vote on Brandt-REAL deal
• What’s in the Brandt-REAL deal? Breaking down the agreement
• Brandt CEO shares vision for new distillery, entertainment complex at REAL District

“What I see is a site that is the best in Canada,” Shaun Semple said when asked on the Evan Bray Show on Thursday about what he envisioned the district will look like in 10 years.

“(It) may not be the biggest in Canada, but it’s a site that people want to come to for, that creates culture within the city. It’s a gathering spot for the community. It has all the different things that the community needs, from sports and entertainment.

“And I think when I look at that, you know, we got a high standard when it comes to that.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, members of city council voted 8-3 in favour of the deal.

The vote sets in motion a process to negotiate a detailed sale agreement, which city administration said will consist of hundreds of pages.

The goal is to have that work wrapped up by the end of June. Some of the affected properties will be transferred to Brandt’s ownership in July and again in September, according to a city news release.

Semple says one of his first priorities is to meet with each of the affected REAL employees over the next couple of weeks.

“Whenever there’s change happening, when one company’s taken over another company, obviously there’s a lot of uncertainty out there,” he said. “And so one of the things we like to do is to get to meet the employees as quick as they can, help share the vision, help answer any questions they might have, even if some of the questions can’t be answered at this time, but at least get in front of them.”

And in the meantime, the company’s work on Queen City Distillers in the Agribition Building is ongoing. The city had agreed to lease the property to Brandt prior to the sale proposal, which includes the Agribition Building.

“It’ll open in phases, but we’re hoping to open here in December,” Semple said in a separate interview with the Greg Morgan Morning Show. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m not going to lie. We’ve got a lot of work. It’s a very ambitious program.”

Semple said the investment in the distillery project has grown from $12 million to more than $30 million, and he promised the end result will be a one of a kind venue in the country.

“It’s going to be quite a quite a spot. I expect that it will garner a lot of headlines across Canada and maybe beyond,” he said.

Mayor calls deal ‘transformational’ for Regina

Mayor Chad Bachynski said it was a big decision for council, but he told reporters his vote came after weighing the pros, cons, and risks.

“I believe this is a huge step forward in getting us out of a riskier business, in addressing a lot of our infrastructure deficit that is encompassed into that campus and really creating a transformational opportunity for our city, partnering with Brandt and the vision that that they have around that district,” he said.

Bachynski said the last six months have been heavy with the negotiation process, with hundreds of hours and “lots of expertise” invested.

“But ultimately, I’m excited that we’re moving forward, because I really believe this is a huge step forward, a transformational step forward for our community and a district that that can be something so special for everybody that lives here.”

One of the major points of criticism ahead of the vote was the property tax exemption being given to Brandt. Both Bachynski and Semple said a deal has to be considered in its entirety, not piece by piece.

“As soon as we pick one thing and say, we don’t like the property tax element. We don’t like a dispute resolution not being in the term sheet, and, you know, all these things, that leads it to the proponent and the other side of the deal to say, well, if you take that away, then I want to take this back,” Bachynski explained.

In a social media post, Ward 6 Councillor Victoria Flores explained that her vote against the deal was to ensure the voices of those opposed were heard properly.

“In a democracy, a decision that binds our city forever is one that deserves the most thorough deliberation and careful consideration,” Flores wrote. “I wanted to make sure those who are skeptical of this process were heard.

“I truly hope I am wrong about my concerns, and I look forward to being proven wrong.”