BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to 'PLAYING FIELD: The 'cold, harsh reality' of arena expansion,' published April 22.
I am responding to Peter Robinson's article about expansion at Sadlon Arena.
As VP of marketing and business development for the Colts since 2008, I need to clarify comments Peter made. He is correct when he says the back end of the arena needs updating badly — dressing rooms, medical facilities, media, etc. This is required not just to keep an OHL team competitive in today's market, but also to attract more events to the area.
Where the article needs clarification is on the subject of seating. As one of the architects of the last three Barrie Colts Memorial Cup bids, I can tell you that the reason Barrie was not selected was not just the number of seats, although more seating would help. The main issue is not enough dressing rooms, no proper media facilities, no up-to-date medical rooms, not enough hospitality space — all back-end issues.
With much smaller capacity than the other arenas Peter mentioned, it means that ticket prices would be higher in Barrie. Additional seating would bring more concerts and bigger sporting events because there is greater upside for the promoter and lower ticket prices for consumers.
But it is more dressing rooms and up-to-date, back-end facilities that are first required for any larger events.
It's not just about a Memorial Cup. Sport tourism in the area would greatly benefit by attracting big minor hockey tournaments, curling events, figure-skating events, concerts, trade shows, etc. All require the back-end facilities that have been spoken of. Coupled with seating increased to over 5,000, a whole new level of events would come to the facility. It is both that are required.
As for his comments specifically as it relates to a Memorial Cup, if Sadlon Arena had enough dressing rooms and the additional facilities I mentioned, and seating was increased to over 5,000, then Barrie could 100 per cent host a Memorial Cup, or a Super Series game, or many other events. It would just mean a ticket might cost a bit more in Barrie than it would in London.
Without going into detail on how the bid process works, the league does not take a financial risk whether the event is in Ottawa, or Owen Sound. It is the team that takes the financial risk. But without a facility that has the elements required to host a large event, the opportunity to take that risk does not exist.
Sadlon Arena does not have the back-end facilities required, even if there were 15,000 seats. That's why we weren't successful.
With increased seating, promoters are able to generate enough revenue to be able to bring bigger shows to the arena. That does not require 7,500 seats. But it would require over 5,000.
As for Peter's comments specifically about the Colts, in any given year, pre-pandemic, we had between 12 and 20 sold-out games, more if we went deep in the playoffs.
With the pandemic behind us, that number is now growing. We are back to having many sold-out games this past season. With a fast-growing community, over the next 20 years, we would definitely benefit from another 1,000-plus seats. As would the community.
But it is not just about more seats. It's about more concourse space, better ticketing facilities, better food services — a better fan experience.
Do the Colts need the extra seating? It would be nice, but no. But it does mean our ticket prices might be higher than they could be over time.
But Peter is right, we desperately need the team and fan facilities updated.
Does the community need extra seating? Yes. As a recent consultants report presented to Barrie city council states, there is huge upside for the whole area if Sadlon Arena is updated not just with the badly needed back-end facilities, but also with increased seating and concourse space.
It's not just about what is required today, it's about what needs to be done today to keep the facility marketable for the next 20 years.
A new, 8,000-seat arena would be amazing, but the reality is, it is more economically feasible for the city to update the existing facility than to build a new one.
The economic impact to the area of having Sadlon Arena and an OHL team in it is $12 million to $14 million per year. That number would grow substantially if the updates to the facility and seating capacity are completed.
One major event alone can bring in well over $1 million, some much more. Over the next 20 or 25 years, that number would be substantial.
Yes, the arena was built with shortcomings. But now, 28 years later, something has to be done to keep it viable. Whether that will be a Band-Aid or a complete facelift, that is the decision currently before the new Barrie city council.
Jim Payetta
Barrie Colts Junior Hockey Club, vice-president of marketing and business development
