ARENA & CONVENTION FACILITY PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN

DOWNTOWN SASKATOON WELCOMES THE CONVERSATION OF A DOWNTOWN ARENA, AGAIN

  DOWNTOWN SASKATOON, March 21, 2018 – It is confirmed that a proposed new Arena & Convention Facility in Saskatoon should be built Downtown ­– news that the Downtown Saskatoon Business Improvement District welcomes warmly. The news was presented to the City of Saskatoon’s Governance & Priorities Committee on March 19, and consultants commissioned by the Boards of SaskTel Centre & TCU Place recommend that the City of Saskatoon proceed with the plans. Downtown Saskatoon is known as the premier entertainment district of the city for a variety of reasons:

• Centrally Located | Downtown offers the most ways in and out. With the enhanced service of Bus Rapid Transit as a major theme for our future, we will have more transportation options to arrive to a Downtown destination.
• 101 Restaurants & Lounges | With a multitude of entertainment opportunities Downtown, traffic jams are mitigated through a variety of start and end times.
• 13,460+ Parking Spaces | Over half are currently available publicly, many Downtown employees can access their monthly parking space while attending a concert, there are 1,860 on-street spaces, and almost 2,000 spots at Midtown Plaza.
• 8 Hotels & 1,329 Rooms | When visiting the city for a show or a conference, proximity to venues is key.

  One of the reasons Downtown Saskatoon was initially created as a Business Improvement District (then called ‘The Partnership’) was by way of the decision in the mid 1980s to build Saskatchewan Place in the north-west outskirts of the city. Downtown Saskatoon and its then members felt the arena should have been built in the Downtown district. Since, the Downtown Saskatoon BID has encouraged the location change at various stakeholder meetings, and has been a long-term supporter of the current facilities’ positive effects for our community and province. “Home to world-class facilities like Remai Modern and Persephone Theatre, a robust shopping and a great culinary scene, a thriving entertainment district, and premier hotels, we believe Downtown Saskatoon is the most convenient location and perfect fit for the proposed new facility. It will ensure that Saskatoon maintains its reputation as an attractive, exciting city with a vibrant Downtown at its heart, and we’re thrilled for the possibility,” said Brent Penner, Executive Director, Downtown Saskatoon BID. For more information, find the Facility Study Media Background here, and the full consultant’s report here. Here’s what others are saying: Tourism Saskatoon, Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, NSBA