NEW ARENA FOR DOWNTOWN?

Renovate or rebuild: debate begins

Three decades after Saskatoon voters opted to build a new arena on the northern outskirts of the city, the debate over a downtown facility is poised to grip residents again.

The debate will be driven this time by the age of SaskTel Centre and a push to consider a downtown sports facility as part of the City of Saskatoon’s new growth plan.

Will Lofdahl, the chief executive officer of SaskTel Centre, said the time is approaching when a decision needs to be made on whether to upgrade the 28-year-old arena or build a new one.

Lofdahl would not commit to a time frame for a decision, but he is expected to appear before city council in April to update the needs for the city-owned facility.

While the exterior remains solid, the systems inside need replacing at some point, Lofdahl said. “Some of them are in better condition than others, but they’re all still 30 years old. At some point in time, we need to come up with a strategy to enhance our competitiveness.”

Lofdahl noted SaskTel Centre must compete for events with newer downtown facilities in Prairie cities like Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary. Edmonton’s Rogers Place is slated to open next year, while Calgary is considering a new arena as part of a downtown development.

SaskTel Centre opened as Saskatchewan Place in 1988 and cost $26.5 million to build.

Lofdahl said it’s difficult to put a figure on how much it would cost to update the arena. If renovations include widening the concourses or adding washrooms and food facilities, that gets more expensive.

“There’s a lot of branches on that decision tree,” he said, noting whenever the facility attracts more than 8,000 spectators — such as with Saskatchewan Rush lacrosse games — its shortcomings become obvious.

A shortage of food and liquor facilities for that size of crowd is addressed by sending vendors out on foot, but Lofdahl calls this a “BandAid.” The arena can seat more than 15,000 for hockey.

The pressure for a decision on SaskTel Centre’s future comes as Tourism Saskatoon is pushing for a “major sports facility” downtown.

Randy Fernets, Tourism Saskatoon’s director of industry development and sport, has sent a letter to city council and administrators urging them to consider a downtown facility as part of the city’s new growth plan.

The tourism agency has already proposed a possible facility in the north downtown as the city looks to redevelop that area.

Fernets noted that many Canadian cities have benefited from having sports facilities located in or near their downtown cores. Saskatoon must now compete for events with those cities and often newer facilities.

Regina, for example, has been busy building new sports facilities — like the Mosaic Stadium for the Saskatchewan Roughriders — while Saskatoon has spent much of its infrastructure money on roads and bridges.

“In Regina, (money’s) flowed into facilities because they don’t have to build bridges,” Fernets said. “It’s becoming a sports mecca.”

SaskTel Centre would need to add amenities to stay competitive in bidding for events like the Memorial Cup and the Brier, Fernets said. He cited a cabaret space and practice facility as needs.

“We were one of the leaders in sports tourism for many years because we’ve always had a sports tourism bureau,” he said. “We’re being bypassed now because other places have expanded (facilities).”

Fernets said planning is underway for a summit to be held in about a month to continue discussions about the need for sports facilities.

“I guess the conversation still hasn’t died yet,” Mayor Don Atchison said. “People yearn for a downtown location.”

Atchison said SaskTel Centre has served the community well and plays host to most of the major international touring acts. He said he welcomes the discussion about a new facility, but wants an important question answered: “How much and where’s the money coming from?”