City aiming to merge SaskTel Centre and TCU Place to ‘streamline operations’

The City of Saskatoon is working to combine SaskTel Centre and TCU Place to 'streamline operations' and better compete for major events.

City Hall is looking to combine SaskTel Centre and TCU Place into one organization.

At the city’s governance and priorities committee meeting on Tuesday, council tasked administrators to work with the boards of each corporation with the goal of amalgamating sometime early next year.

“They’ve actually looked inside themselves and inside their organizations and identified ways they can be even better. They’ve identified a number of benefits. They’ve concluded that the process will streamline operations, reduce duplication, and strengthen Saskatoon’s ability to compete for major events,” City Manager Jeff Jorgenson said.

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The city would save $470,000 per year beginning in the third year of amalgamation.

A report from administration says aside from work to begin amalgamation, there are limited downsides.

The report says one brand will strengthen the city’s competitiveness for marquee events, sponsorships, and tourism, cementing Saskatoon’s role as a regional hub for entertainment, sport, and conferences.

Jorgenson said it’s also a goal to get one step closer to the downtown event and entertainment district, where the city has always had the goal of working with a single operator, public or private, to run the eventual convention centre and arena.

“The facilities at some point in time will be right across the street from each other. We’d always envisioned a single operator, whether it was a private partner or any other model,” Jorgenson said.

“The opportunity to work together to compete on shows and work both of those facilities on the bid was always deemed to be an advantage.”

With employees of TCU Place and SaskTel Centre sitting in council chambers, Jorgenson attempted to ease concerns over job loss as part of the merger.

“We’re talking very openly. We’ve got to find those savings,” he said.

“To reassure any staff that are watching — the way we approach these types of things is we’re going to be relentlessly focused on achieving the savings, and we’re also a compassionate and law-abiding employer.”

“We will go through the right process and go about this the right way to work with all the people involved to do this in the most compassionate way possible.”

Ward 4 Coun. Troy Davies didn’t want the city to start from scratch and begin a hiring process for a number of positions, while Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker asked the city to keep council up to date.

More updates from Jorgenson will be provided throughout the year as the merger continues.