The project involves the development of a new arena and new or renovated convention centre within a new event and entertainment district in Downtown Saskatoon. While the City of Saskatoon (City) will retain overall ownership of these new facilities and infrastructure once constructed, numerous key stakeholders, project partners, and sponsors will be integral in driving the successful development and delivery of the project.

The Downtown Event and Entertainment District Advisory Group is being established to foster connections between business and community partners, and the City Administration and City Council to support the successful implementation of the project.

Meetings will be held quarterly, or at the call of the Chair. The duration of each meeting is subject to the contents of the agenda and ensuing discussion.

The mandate of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District Advisory Group (Advisory Group) is to:

Support successful implementation of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District project; and
Provide advice, input, and recommendations to the City Administration’s Steering Committee and City Council for consideration respecting:

Conceptual design and functional program of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District project;
District master planning;
Funding strategies including change management plans to support industry adoption and implementation, including timing and phasing; and
Other issues identified by the Steering Committee or City Council.

The Advisory Group shall communicate its advice, input, and recommendations directly with the City Administration and City Council, and not with other parties.

Holly Thompson, Committee Assistant

City Clerk’s Office

The Advisory Group acts in an advisory capacity and cannot make decisions on behalf of the City. The City Administration will seek the Advisory Group’s advice, input, and recommendations regarding various aspects of the project, and the Advisory Group will be afforded the opportunity to make presentations to Committee and City Council as reports from the Administration are considered.

Formal input from the Advisory Group shall be collated and appended, as applicable, to any decision reports to City Council from the City Administration with respect to the Downtown Event and Entertainment District project. Where the Administration aligns with the input of the

Advisory Group, the Administration’s recommendations will be augmented as appropriate. Where the Administration’s recommendations diverge from the recommendations of the Advisory Group, the Administration’s report will detail the Advisory Group’s position as well as the Administration’s rationale for a different decision recommendation.

This project is an immense, city-defining project. There will be many different perspectives among the various parties and, therefore, it is possible that there will not be consensus on all items. The Administration will endeavour to include all significant varying perspectives are presented to City Council, as will the Chair when they present on behalf of the Advisory Group directly to City Council or Committees of City Council.

All members of the Advisory Group must appreciate and understand that City Council is the ultimate decision-maker for major project decisions, with the Administration as their principle administrative advisor. The Advisory Group serves as a fully engaged team of experts, and the recommendations ultimately put forward by the Administration and decisions by City Council are made considering all factors including, but not limited to, broad community feedback and engagement, Administrative perspectives, Advisory Group input, financial limitations, inter-governmental relations and requirements, and other factors.

Advisory Group members shall serve without receiving remuneration.

Members:

One (1) member of City Council as appointed by City Council who will act as Chair of the Advisory Group and will only exercise voting rights in the event of a tie of any vote of the Advisory Group;
Up to two (2) additional non-voting member representatives of City Council as appointed by City Council;
One (1) voting member agency representative of the Saskatoon Tribal Council;
One (1) voting member agency representative of the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan – Western Region 2A;
One (1) voting member agency representative of the Downtown Business Improvement District;
One (1) voting member agency representative of the Riversdale Business Improvement District;
One (1) voting member agency representative of Tourism Saskatoon;
One (1) voting member agency representative of the North Saskatoon Business Association;
One (1) voting member agency representative of The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce;
One (1) voting member for the Province of Saskatchewan; and
Up to five (6) voting member representatives from a public open call for applications.

Representation on the Advisory Group should reflect the demographics of the community.
Consideration can be given to including members from outside the boundaries of the City of Saskatoon.
Representatives from the City Administration’s Steering Committee shall attend meetings to support the Advisory Group’s discussion. Their attendance will be determined based on each meeting’s agenda items and may also include additional City staff, external consultants to the City, and representatives of other stakeholder groups as necessary.