'They're trying to get it right'
ALEX MCCUAIG
amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com Twitter:MccuaigNews
Bill Yuill's history with owning sports franchises in hockey's WHL, CHL and NAHL and baseball's Pioneer and Southern leagues Ñ to name but a few Ñ is legendary and goes well beyond Medicine Hat's boundaries.
But this city's native son's role in chairing a committee for picking a location for a Regional Event Centre in Medicine Hat was all too soon forgotten following the announcement by city council in August 2008 that bypassed that group's recommendation.
In an interview with the News this week, Yuill shared his thoughts on the future of the event centre and where the city should head from here following the reignition of the debate.
"The reason we went with where we went was because the landowner offered to build the arena," said Yuill of the decision to pick the Lansdowne Equity proposal.
"That was a major part of the whole decision."
The Lansdowne site would have seen the event centre built at or near the intersection of 13th Avenue and South Boundary Road.
Yuill also highlighted the fact the southeast quadrant of the city has the highest population, "so we thought it was appropriate to put it where the people were."
Yuill said circumstances change over time, negotiations happen and things either get done or they don't.
"I think what's going on here is that they are just taking a fresh look at it, taking into consideration current circumstances, the cost of the facility," said Yuill.
Cost, a major and varying factor in the event centre, can be particular to different places and times with variances from $30 million to the sky's the limit depending on what a community wants from a facility, said Yuill.
"What do you want, that's what it boils down to," said Yuill.
He went on to say, "it's not only the idea of building a building. If you have to subsidize it every year, if you have to support the operations every year, it can get pretty expensive. So, you have to balance one against another."
Yuill said there is no magic formula to figure out these issues, adding, "in all due respect to the city, they're trying to get it right.
"There are a lot of moving parts, pressures from different areas so you don't want to rush in these areas."
As for possible new locations for the event centre, one suggestion thrown out by Yuill, among others which have already been speculated on, is the possibility of the old Walmart site.
City staff are currently reviewing alternate sites while Box Springs Business Park director John Hashem said Thursday his group will be meeting with civic officials next week to discuss future possibilities.
amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com Twitter:MccuaigNews
Bill Yuill's history with owning sports franchises in hockey's WHL, CHL and NAHL and baseball's Pioneer and Southern leagues Ñ to name but a few Ñ is legendary and goes well beyond Medicine Hat's boundaries.
But this city's native son's role in chairing a committee for picking a location for a Regional Event Centre in Medicine Hat was all too soon forgotten following the announcement by city council in August 2008 that bypassed that group's recommendation.
In an interview with the News this week, Yuill shared his thoughts on the future of the event centre and where the city should head from here following the reignition of the debate.
"The reason we went with where we went was because the landowner offered to build the arena," said Yuill of the decision to pick the Lansdowne Equity proposal.
"That was a major part of the whole decision."
The Lansdowne site would have seen the event centre built at or near the intersection of 13th Avenue and South Boundary Road.
Yuill also highlighted the fact the southeast quadrant of the city has the highest population, "so we thought it was appropriate to put it where the people were."
Yuill said circumstances change over time, negotiations happen and things either get done or they don't.
"I think what's going on here is that they are just taking a fresh look at it, taking into consideration current circumstances, the cost of the facility," said Yuill.
Cost, a major and varying factor in the event centre, can be particular to different places and times with variances from $30 million to the sky's the limit depending on what a community wants from a facility, said Yuill.
"What do you want, that's what it boils down to," said Yuill.
He went on to say, "it's not only the idea of building a building. If you have to subsidize it every year, if you have to support the operations every year, it can get pretty expensive. So, you have to balance one against another."
Yuill said there is no magic formula to figure out these issues, adding, "in all due respect to the city, they're trying to get it right.
"There are a lot of moving parts, pressures from different areas so you don't want to rush in these areas."
As for possible new locations for the event centre, one suggestion thrown out by Yuill, among others which have already been speculated on, is the possibility of the old Walmart site.
City staff are currently reviewing alternate sites while Box Springs Business Park director John Hashem said Thursday his group will be meeting with civic officials next week to discuss future possibilities.
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