OVG360 could become a familiar name in Saskatoon. OVG is an international, full-service facility management group which applied to the City of Saskatoon’s Request for Proposals for a company to provide operations management and to contribute funding to the development of a new event centre/arena and a renovated and expanded convention centre.

Director of Technical Services, Transportation and Construction, Dan Willems says the first step is a private partner agreement framework. It includes OVG funding $20 million up front and then the City projects $170 million in net cash flow over the 25-year-agreement. He stresses that this doesn’t mean the downtown entertainment district is becoming a reality. It’s just the next step before looking for funding from the provincial and federal governments.

Willems adds that although the final decision hasn’t been made yet on whether to go ahead with this project, if it doesn’t happen, Saskatoon won’t be able to host larger conventions or the biggest concerts, because the current venues are too small. It means losing out on major tourism dollars and economic spinoffs. He says, “Our goal is not to lose our marketplace. That’s a driving intent behind this project going back to 2016. We don’t want to lose this amenity for the city.” Willems explains that TCU Place is too small for larger conventions and the biggest concerts are passing by because SaskTel Centre isn’t big enough.

If the Governance and Priorities Committee approves the private partner agreement framework with OVG, it will be presented again at City Council on August 28th along with Administration’s funding plan report, which will list all the sources of income the City will have through the proposed Downtown Event & Entertainment District.