Event Centre Issue

THUNDER BAY – LETTERS – Over the past few months I have been asked to release the latest letter I received from Federal Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, Denis Lebel with respect to Federal Government funding for the proposed Thunder Bay Event & Convention Centre (TBECC). As has been reported to Council, and the community, Minister Lebel outlines in his letter the conditions under which his Ministry, and the Government, would support funding the TBECC: namely if the major tenant was an amateur sports organization rather than a professional one. For this reason and in the interest of transparency I have attached Minister Lebel’s letter received on July 2, 2015.

TBECC offers significant incremental economic benefits for our City and the entire region of Northwestern Ontario, both through the jobs to be created in its construction and in its on-going operations. City Council has confinned that the TBECC is a priority amongst our major infrastructure projects and we have invested significantly towards its realization including the recent approved Phase 2 and Phase 3 feasibility studies. I do not want to see that investment lost and I feel strongly that it is time to continue to pursue options that might lead to development of the TBECC. With the expiration of the Letter oflntent with Thunder Bay Live, I will be asking that Council support the motion below that seeks to direct City Administration to do just that.
Accordingly I ask that this motion be presented to Committee of the Whole at its meeting of September 28, 2015:

“WITH RESPECT to the proposed Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre we recommend that City Council direct Administration to negotiate directly with Lakehead University to serve as the main tenant for the facility (i.e. Thunderwolves Hockey and other marquee athletic programs/events);

AND THAT Administration report back with recommendations (including the related procurement process) for moving forward with major facility development elements including but not limited to:

a) Final Architectural Design
b) Construction
c) Project Management, including Owners Agent and Contract Administration
d) Facility Operations and Programming

AND THAT Administration together with the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee continue to seek opporhmities for funding at the Federal and Provincial levels of government.”