Your Worship and Members of City Council,

Today, approval of the City’s corporate strategic plan is being recommended by Council’s Governance & Priorities Committee. Thank you and City Administration for developing this foundational document that will guide policy making and investment decisions in the month and years ahead, ensuring that Saskatoon’s key priorities are adequately resourced and – most importantly – advanced.

New and/or expanded event facilities, co-located in downtown Saskatoon, need to be at the top of the list.

March 2022 will mark 3 years since Council reviewed a comprehensive, independent report commissioned by the boards of SaskTel Centre and TCU Place, addressing the urgent need to co-locate new and/or expanded event and convention facilities in Saskatoon’s downtown. Since then, several other municipalities in our region and province have advanced plans to build or develop similar facilities in their jurisdictions. Business cases and proposals are currently well underway in Regina and Calgary, among others.

Like Saskatoon, these communities have been gripped by the pandemic and harmed by its economic impact. They appreciate the urgent need to advance these projects as a way of creating good jobs; re-animating districts of small and medium size businesses; securing lucrative bids for events and conferences to support hospitality providers; competing effectively for touring shows; and, re-igniting economic activity after years of pandemic restrictions on businesses and residents.

Competition for public and private investment will be fierce. Saskatoon needs to get moving.

We know that both TCU Place and SaskTel Centre are reaching their end-of-useful-life with aging infrastructure that can no longer meet the expectations of visitors, promoters and guests. Day by day, these facilities are aging in place, unable to compete effectively for large-scale conventions, conferences and concerts that are going to facilities in neighbouring cities.

We know that senior levels of government will be looking to provide significant infrastructure funding for large-scale projects to create jobs and spur economic recovery as Saskatchewan and Canada emerge from the pandemic. Projects that are clearly defined, with a strong and compelling case for investment, will be most successful.

Finally, we have learned that it takes time to identify the right development sequence to support the evolution of a successful district and construction of anchor facilities. We know, for example, that the construction of condos, a public plaza, hotel, retail space and office space in Edmonton’s Ice District was staged in a specific way to support the development and success of Rogers Place.

We are ready and eager to help.

To inform our contribution on the project’s main Advisory Group, the Chamber has created an Entertainment District Task Force representing a stellar cross-section of business and community leaders, as well as local experts in facility planning and urban development.

We urge you to move aggressively on identifying and selecting a downtown site, developing functional plans for both joint-use facilities, and mapping out the district’s development sequence to support the feasibility and success of the facilities that will be located there. Drawing on best practices, and the experiences of comparable North American markets, we can ensure that our city remains “on the map” and leverages the project as a catalyst for economic development and recovery.

Know that we stand ready to work with you, and other stakeholders, to help drive the planning process and bring a new Downtown Event and Entertainment District to fruition. As Saskatoon's voice for business, we are a powerful network of businesses, organizations and community-minded leaders who want the best for their city.

Sincerely,


Jason Aebig
CEO