The “Mosaic Place” era will soon be over because the partnership between the Mosaic Company and City of Moose Jaw at the Moose Jaw Events Centre ends on Aug. 31.
The most tangible evidence that this partnership at the Multiplex is concluding is the two outdoor signs on the north and east walls had been removed. City crews spent one day recently taking down the signage, leaving behind two blank spaces where the building’s name used to be.
Staff also removed all the small interior signs and the large Mosaic potash mural at the top of the stairs, which might be jarring to some residents who regularly frequent the building during hockey season.
The Mosaic Company covered all removal costs as part of the agreement, although the venue will lose $50,000 in revenue for naming rights and advertising and $8,375 for the curling naming rights.
The Mosaic Company signed a 10-year naming rights partnership with the municipality in 2011 when the Multiplex/Events Centre opened. That agreement was supposed to have finished last August, but the company agreed to remain the naming partner until Aug. 31, 2022 — and no longer — while the municipality looked for someone new.
“We can’t thank Mosaic enough for their commitment to the building over its 11-year history, and we would have been happy for that partnership to continue,” city hall told the Express in an email. “However, it is heartening to know that Mosaic will continue to invest in worthwhile community projects in Moose Jaw into the future.”
The city commended the company for supporting many community groups and events throughout Moose Jaw, in the past, now, and in the future.
City hall will refer to the building as the Moose Jaw Events Centre until a new naming rights partner is found. Municipal officials and a small group of residents are working to secure a new partner for the venue.
Last year, the municipality created an in-house committee comprised of the mayor, a city councillor, city manager, three city hall directors and the general manager of Mosaic Place to search for a new naming rights partner. They searched throughout the community and region but were unsuccessful.
City council had planned to hire a private contractor to locate and negotiate a naming rights agreement for the Moose Jaw Events Centre. However, several residents — including businesspeople and those connected with fundraising for the building — stepped forward to help.
This prompted council to postpone the agreement with Performance Sponsorship Group (PSG) until the efforts by the local businesses, business owners and residents to acquire a naming partner were known.
It’s unknown what progress the new committee is making, but city hall said in the email that the group would continue to work at securing a naming rights partner over the summer.
