‘This changes the game’: Saskatoon begins downtown arena talks with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation

A major vote in Saskatoon could reshape the future of the city’s downtown entertainment district. From City Hall, CTV’s Laura Woodward explains what happened.

A unanimous vote at Saskatoon City Hall could open the door to a new approach to building the downtown event and entertainment district.

Saskatoon city council unanimously voted to enter negotiations with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to explore a potential partnership on a downtown arena, convention centre and entertainment district.

“This changes the game,” Mayor Cynthia Block told journalists after the vote.

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation approached the city about a potential partnership in April.

Chief Kelly Wolfe said his First Nation has a strong track record in Saskatoon, a net worth of more than $100 million and ambitions to attract major events.

Wolfe said he imagines one day having a professional hockey team in the city.

“Maybe we start with an American Hockey League team, a farm team, just to show that we’re capable, we have the capacity to do it,” Wolfe said.

“We want to reach for the stars.”

The benefits to partnering with a First Nation

The arena site could become an urban reserve.

“It opens doors to federal grants, federal opportunities that we may have access to that we’re willing to share with the project,” Wolfe said.

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An urban reserve is land purchased by a First Nation that is granted reserve status by the federal government. Once designated, the First Nation becomes the taxing authority over the land and many city bylaws no longer apply.

While city property taxes don’t apply on urban reserve land, First Nations pay the city an equivalent fee-for-service to cover municipal services.

Should there have been more consultation?

Jeff Jorgenson, Saskatoon’s city manager, said it made sense to negotiate directly with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation rather than pursue a broader competitive process.

“When we looked at potentially doing an EOI (Expression of Interest), it almost felt like it would be disingenuous because if it’s going to lead to the same end result, then it really isn’t a good procurement approach,” Jorgenson said.

Councillors Bev Dubois and Rob Pearce raised concerns about transparency and whether focusing on one potential partner could mean missing other opportunities.

Councillor Randy Donauer reminded council that the city already tried to attract private partners to the project.

“We invited literally anybody in the world, or at least anybody in North America, to bid on being our partner,” Donauer said.

“That didn’t work and now we have a partner that wants to do business with us.”

Discover Saskatoon, the Riversdale Business Improvement District and the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce supported the potential partnership with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation.

Stephanie Pocha, the CEO of Discover Saskatoon, said the city is already losing opportunities to other places.

“There are events we can’t even bid on because we don’t have the space and configuration to hold them. So they go to Halifax, to Edmonton, to Winnipeg — cities that built the room to say yes,” Pocha said.

City officials stressed the vote simply allows negotiations to continue. No deal has been reached and no money has been committed.

Any decision involving finances, governance or land would have to be approved by council.

Administration must report back to council at least every two months as the talks continue.