City hall needs more time to compile list of possible downtown arena locations
Saskatoon residents will have to wait a little longer to find out which sites are being considered for a downtown arena district.
City hall has committed to releasing a list of potential sites for a downtown entertainment district anchored by a replacement for Sasktel Centre.
However, negotiations with private landowners are taking longer than expected, according to a report to be considered by city council on Monday.
“Although positive progress continues to be made, final agreements are not yet in place,” the city’s interim chief strategy and transformation officer, Dan Willems, writes in the report. “In consideration of these issues, additional time will be required to finalize the site selection process.”
The list was originally expected last year, but was delayed until early this year. City hall officials, including Willems, did not mention the delay in negotiations when contacted by The Starphoenix last week.
A further update on progress is not expected until March.
“At this time, the administration is still optimistic that the sites considered, the technical merits of each site, and the perspectives of external experts can still be made available to the public at some point in 2020,” Willems writes.
As for how the city will pay for the new facility and its design, that will wait for “future years,” the report says.
In November 2018, council approved planning for eventual replacements for Sasktel Centre and the TCU Place convention centre as part of an entertainment district in downtown Saskatoon.
A project committee, including city hall staff and officials from Sasktel Centre and TCU Place, has studied the experience of Edmonton in establishing its Ice District.
Sasktel Centre staff have also toured four mid-sized American cities to study their facilities.
City hall has not revealed how many sites are under consideration.
The construction cost of a new arena has been estimated at between $172 million and $178 million.
A combined arena and convention centre has been pegged at $330 million to $370 million.