Saskatoon has two major downtown infrastructure projects in the works. What is your position on plans to build a new downtown arena, and where do you think it should go? (question posed by Alex MacPherson of the StarPhoenix to all mayoral candidates)
Actually, the city has four downtown infrastructure projects in the works. Moving the rail lines is a massive infrastructure issue which actually limits the ability of all others to proceed. The Bus Rapid Transit proposal consists of large permanent bus terminals which are a significant financial obligation and which would have to be arranged in the downtown core depending on the location of the arena and other facilities. As far as the new arena itself, I would like to say that the best place for the arena would be in the north downtown because we already own the land. But I have a problem with creating an entirely new entertainment district around this proposed arena. All that this district will establish is a place to draw away patrons from hotels, restaurants, and bars further from the downtown core. The development of this area will be done with the tax money generated from these existing downtown businesses, which is another painful hurt for these landmarks.
So, afterthought and having toured the Edmonton arena, I believe that the best location for the new arena is in the north Midtown Plaza parking lot. I do not believe that the River Landing area is a good use for this project. I think it is poorly served by transportation connections and that land is better served with other higher end developments that offer a range of opportunities. The Midtown Plaza location is specific because it allows synergies between TCU Place and many nearby hotels like Bessborough, for example. It would also lend itself well then to the proposed convention space creation as another shared activity. Creating a new entertainment district too far away from this will create economic activity by simply removing a large component of existing economic activity from these existing businesses and taxpayers. In other words, you will remove economic activity from the downtown core to displace it into the new entertainment district created at more expense. If we end up putting the arena in the Midtown Plaza north parking lot, we can solidify the downtown core and the proximity to businesses on 20th Street, and as such, we can bring up the entire area.