City of Brantford Council approved a resolution to move ahead with plans for a new Sports and Entertainment Centre (SEC) during its regular Council meeting on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
The resolution at hand covered several permissions needed to move forward with the project, including:
- Establishing a budget of $140 million, to be funded from the issuance of debentures.
- Directing City Staff to proceed with the competitive procurement process of a prime consultant for the design of a new Sports and Entertainment Centre and consultant to undertake a corporate sponsorship campaign.
- Allowing the City’s CAO or acting delegate, the City Treasurer and the Manager of Purchasing to award the contracts and sign agreements with said consultants, as well as any necessary project management consulting services.
- Directing staff to return to council with the details of the final design before the City enters a competitive bidding process for the construction of the SEC.
- Directing staff to report back to council by Q4 2024 with option to create a downtown entertainment district.
- Directing staff to negotiate name rights for the SEC.
- Directing staff to establish an SEC Reserve to hold any funds received from sale of naming rights, proceeds from land dispositions, operator capital contributions, and from a corporate sponsorship campaign.
- Directing staff to use the following sources of revenue to service debt payment:
a. City portion of the Municipal Accommodation Tax,
b. Redirection of Casino funds previously earmarked for a mid-size performance theatre space, c. Incremental property taxes from developments in the entertainment area,
d. Use of funds from the SEC Reserve
e. Use of proceeds from the disposition of City owned assets in the northern boundary
- And finally, directing staff to enter into lease discussions with the Brantford Bulldogs.
Speaking to the resolution, Carpenter asked if they approved building the arena in advance of any kind of lease agreement with the Bulldogs, wouldn’t that restrict or make the City weaker when it comes down to negotiation?
“You are not formally approving the design until the final design and cost estimate comes to you in about 12 to 18 months time,” responded Ron Bidulka, Managing Director of KKR. “The lease with the Bulldogs will be done significantly in advance of that so you will have confidence when it comes to approving the final design and costing.”
Earlier in the meeting, Lorna Stratton, a member of Brant Performing Arts (BPA), which is a collective of over a dozen not-for-profit, performing arts community organizations ranging from orchestras to concert bands, choirs, theatre groups and the like, had spoken about how disappointing it was that the resolution would see that Casino funds, which had previously been previously earmarked for a mid-size performance theatre space, were being redirected to help pay for the SEC.
“To be blunt, we are shocked, disheartened and upset at the lack of transparency by the City and lack of consultation on the City’s recommendation. We also wonder why this huge project has not been sent to the Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Initiatives Advisory Committee? The BPA and the whole community has long advocated for a mid-sized performance venue that would provide an appropriately sized, cost effective, dedicated theatre space that would be available to a variety of performing arts organizations,” said Stratton. “In the City’s Municipal Cultural Plan 2014, and in its subsequent updates, the City was committed to providing funds to build a dedicated midsize performance space available to community groups.”
During her delegation, she noted that the Sanderson Centre and its 1,100-seat theatre is far too large, too costly and too busy to act as a viable option for smaller performance groups to use as they would only need something with 100 to 300 seats.
When Councillor McCreary asked if the performance groups were to get their own space, what would they need out of it, and Stratton said a space that is flexible for different performances with proper sound, lighting, curtains, seating and a stage, would be ideal.
Later Councillor Caputo asked for clarification if the mid-sized performance theatre project was dead and if there were any updates regarding its status.
Joe Muto, the City’s Acting Director of Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Initiatives, said it was currently on pause.
“It’s basically on pause right now in the event that we were working towards various community partners, and those partners have not shown any interest as of late with respect to a mid-sized performance venue,” said Muto.
Mayor Kevin Davis then jumped in to say that once the City’s new CAO, Michael Bradley, is officially on board, there are plans to discuss any financially feasible opportunities for the City to team up with Laurier.
“There’s going to be ongoing discussions with Laurier that could result in there being, in partnership with Laurier, the construction of, or the establishment of the small performing arts centre,” said Davis. “…The City is also considering other options that don’t involve the use of the Sanderson Centre, but may provide the type of space that’s needed by the small performing arts group.”
Speaking to the plan to redirect the funds, the Mayor said that the finance plan may still be tweaked further in coming months.
“The final decision on building is yet to come and that’s many months in advance of today’s date,” said Davis. “At that time, obviously the financing plan is going to be further tweaked and when the decision is in front of us to either proceed with construction or not, we’ll then have the final details of what the final financing plan will look like. What you saw in the report two weeks ago, that is the draft-proposed financing plan, but it’s always subject to change.”
Shortly after, Councillors John Sless and Caputo each made statements saying they shouldn’t have to choose between sports and the arts, they should have it all especially when so much work has previously been done to create a mid-sized performance space.
“I’m going to get a little selfish here, I want all of it,” said Caputo. “I don’t want just an entertainment centre, I want a Sanderson Centre and I want every form of culture we can do. This is about building our city and maintaining our city and giving opportunities for everyone to be a part of.”
Councillor Dan McCreary said that while he completely supports the SEC, he agreed that something needs to be done in way of a mid-sized performance space.
“I want to repeat something that was said to me earlier tonight and that is, ‘why don’t you do for arts and culture, what you’ve done for sport?’ …We’ve been going at this mid-sized performance theatre for maybe seven or eight years. …We tried to find partners that we could fob it off on and we’ve come up short in both circumstances,” said McCreary. “I agree with a lot of the people in the arts and culture community that I think it’s high time we did something proper and something that’s equivalent to what we’ve done for sport in this community.”
He said that a resolution will come forward at a later date that will direct staff to create a plan in regards to the mid-sized performance venue.
“We’re going to be bringing forward a resolution that will look to give some direction to staff to create a plan to arrive at an arts and culture facility that can incorporate a lot of stuff that is deficient in this community,” said McCreary. “Things for our performing arts groups, theatre groups, museums, and galleries, and provide a space where those folks can live, where you’re not begging for church basements and stuffing your sets and costumes in somebody’s garage. A place where we can provide a wholesome experience for folks to perform, …where you can leave your stuff and you can practice. Where you can rehearse for a month or two and can perform every Saturday, a place you can call your own that’s not cheap or on the fly.”
The vote on the resolution to move ahead with the SEC, as amended, was then carried on a vote 9-1, noting that Councillor Linda Hunt was not present for the vote and Carpenter voted against it.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
