The Events Centre will spend more than $700,000 next year through its capital budget to address some long-outstanding issues, such as installing steel rigging so it can attract more musicians and bands.
The venue — which first opened in 2010 — presented its 2023 capital budget during city council’s Dec. 5 budget meeting, with the original goal of spending over $800,000 to address sound system upgrades, phase 2 of its LED lighting retrofit, various building upgrades and installation of steel rigging.
However, after discussing the projects, council instead voted:
- 5-2 in favour of the venue spending $45,000 on building upgrades instead of $90,200; Councillors Jamey Logan and Kim Robinson were opposed
- 4-3 in favour of pushing the LED retrofits into 2024 and 2025; Councillors Heather Eby, Crystal Froese and Robinson were opposed
- Unanimously in favour of taking $145,000 from the Mosaic Place and Yara Centre Reserve Fund to upgrade the sound system, with an equal amount being drawn down from the moderate-term portfolio investment
- 6-1 in favour of the venue spending $514,839 to install the steel rigging, with the total cost over two years being $1,029,678; Logan was opposed
“The sound system and rigging need to be looked at right away … ,” said Coun. Dawn Luhning.
She urged council to speak with the community’s two MLAs about the province’s imposition of PST on tickets because that has discouraged shows from coming here. She also noted that Saskatchewan is the only province to do this.
Sound system
The building has an original integrated sound system with components in the main arena, the curling rink and the conference centre, although the latter two are standalone systems, explained Ryan MacIvor, OVG360 general manager.
All three systems are failing while the components are past their life, parts are becoming unavailable and the speakers don’t work cohesively, he continued. Furthermore, the Warriors installed a system that sometimes conflicts with the original.
The total upgrade cost is $265,000, including $145,000 next year and $120,000 in 2024.
Upgrading the system’s “brain” is the No. 1 priority, MacIvor continued. The speakers will remain because they are in good condition and still at industry standards. However, they will be tuned since each is at a different volume, balance and level.
“This will provide a longevity for no failure (and) this will increase or make the sound better,” he stated.
MacIvor added that musicians and bands bring their own speakers and mix their own music, which is why it sounds better.
Steel rigging
The Multiplex was designed to have rigging steel, but it was cut to save money, MacIvor continued. The building is one of the last centres in Saskatchewan and Western Canada without this equipment, while its absence hinders more events from coming and makes setting up longer.
Proper rigging would ensure a show can be set up within two to four hours and torn down within 1.5 to three hours, he said. Without the steel, it takes six to eight hours to set up, while the venue must rent multiple 80-foot boom lifts to support shows.
It costs about $2,500 per boom lift over two days. On average, a show needs three boom lifts, which equals $7,500 per show or $60,000 per year with an average of eight shows.
MacIvor noted that these lengthy tear-downs delay artists from reaching their next location quickly, while the venue has lost at least four shows because of no steel rigging and lost revenue because it had to rent boom lifts.
The venue will start installing the rigging in May 2024, while it expects to finish that August.
Venue upgrades
The venue upgrades include adding two security gates on the concourse for $11,500 to ensure people can’t access the suite level on non-game days; installing new kitchen range hoods for $25,000 to address deficiencies, mismatched equipment and safety issues; and upgrading shower floors in six dressing rooms for $8,500.
The accordion-like security gates are particularly important because thieves have stolen equipment that belongs to the building and on-site contractors, while employee safety also needs to be addressed, said MacIvor.
“We are (also) experiencing an increased traffic of people using the bathrooms, but not necessarily for the use of bathrooms,” he added.
The next budget meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 7 while the next regular council meeting is Monday, Dec. 12.
