City Hall is taking a closer look at its partnership with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to potentially run the future downtown arena and convention centre. On Wednesday, councillors voted in favour of a thorough review of the potential creation of an urban reserve and how a deal with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation could look if both sides finalize a deal to have the first nation operate the downtown event and entertainment district. “It’s the most asked question I get. What is this partnership going to look like?” Ward 8 Coun. Scott Ford, who brought forward the motion to review the urban reserve and partnership, said during the council meeting. “I don’t think it’s going to be your standard urban reserve that we have existing right now with the eight urban reserves we have. This this partnership is going to look a little different.” On June 29, the city and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation signed a memorandum of understanding to enter into negotiations to operate the arena and convention centre. The non-binding agreement sets out shared goals, intentions and a framework for a potential future partnership which could include creating an urban reserve. The review approved by council asks administration to compile a comprehensive report outlining the implications, opportunities, risks and requirements associated with the potential establishment of an urban reserve. It goes on to include a financial analysis of how a potential deal could compare to SaskTel Centre and TCU Place’s current operating model and gets into details like how police response would work, how zoning, infrastructure improvements or bylaws between Muskeg Lake and the city could be handled. Administration said some of that information already exists elsewhere, but not how it pertains directly to Muskeg Lake or the downtown event district. Administration is expected to bring back a “high-level” report, which may exclude some details so it doesn’t affect current negotiations with Muskeg Lake. “It is about providing transparency, answering the questions being asked by residents, doing the proper due diligence, protecting the public interest and ensuring council has all of the information it needs before asked to approve a final agreement,” Ford said. The seven-part motion was disputed by multiple councillors, who agreed some of the information could be found elsewhere on the city’s website or are unknowns. Since there is no agreement with Muskeg Lake, some councillors didn’t see the point of adding a large project to city staffers’ workload. The review could be speculative, and any deal between the two parties would ultimately need council approval. “It has come back to council, we have to debate, it has to be transparent, the public has to have an opportunity to come speak to this,” Ward 4 Coun. Davies, who opposed multiple parts of the motion, said. “So for me, I just thought it was a little bit of a cart before the horse.” As many councillors wanted to be crystal clear about any information they’re working with, Ward 1 Coun. Kathryn MacDonald called the motion premature. “Causing the speculation of all the possible outcomes — I think that’s just honestly going to confuse the public more,” she said. Henry Chan, who is part of a group gauging interest for a potential referendum on the arena district, spoke at council and urged councillors to vote in favour of the motion. He said the $1.2 billion project could be the most expensive undertaking in the city’s history, and it needs further examination. “Clarity and transparency show that the city has nothing to hide, and this project is truly for the people, by the people, and has the mandate from the people,” Chan said. Many departments and staff members may have to be devoted to the review. Because of the significant scope of the review, administration wasn’t able to say when the review would be presented back to council, or if it may have to be broken into multiple phases for council’s consideration.
