Bandit
01-06-2004, 08:50 PM
Guelph - Sports and Entertainment Centre
Aug 31, 2001. The Guelph Tribune 2001
City officials say arena manager Nustadia has actually contributed more than its contractual share of construction costs of the new Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre.
Meanwhile, a petition will be presented to city council Tuesday on behalf of citizens "concerned about costs incurred and potential costs to city taxpayers of the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre."
A news release said Mayor Karen Farbridge is "pleased" that Guelph Centre Partners Inc., an arm of Nustadia, "had met and exceeded their financial obligation to invest $1.5 million of their own equity into the project."
The release said "the approved estimates for the centre totalled $21 million while the actual expenditures totalled $21.8 million. The City of Guelph provided $10.5 million of funding toward the project. Guelph Centre Partners Inc. provided the balance of the funds." Finance director David Kennedy told the Trib that Nustadia actually contributed $2.3 million of its own equity in addition to a $9-million bank loan.
The petition requests "that city council make public all financial documents, including estimates of future costs, either presented to or prepared by the City of Guelph." Petition organizer Malcolm Chumbley, who ran unsuccessfully for city council last fall, said about 400 people have signed the petition. Chumbley is a regional organizer for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation but said the petition was started on his own, as a private citizen of Guelph. He wants assurance that local taxpayers won't be on the hook for any more debt if Nustadia pulls out.
He also objects to the new deal the city made behind closed doors to lend Nustadia $725,000 a year for four years to be applied to loan repayment, plus cover $100,000 a year in federal and provincial taxes. "Hey, can I have a temporary loan of $3.3 million interest- free, too?" said Chumbley.
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.: Sep 13, 2002. Copyright The Guelph Tribune 2002
Financial accountability to the public is a key reason why city council decided to set up a new committee to find ways to work more closely with Guelph Centre Partners.
The private company operates the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre on behalf of the city. But the public-private partnership has been rocky because the arena operator hasn't been making enough money to cover its $9-million loan payment.
A year ago the city agreed to make the quarterly $90,000 loan payment, anticipating that after four years and nearly $2 million in payments, including principal and interest, GCP will be in a position to pay the money back to the city.
Partnerships with private companies are a challenge for municipalities, so council opted to set up the committee made up Mayor Karen Farbridge, city administrator David Creech and director of finance David Kennedy. They have also asked Ben Sproule, vice- president of Nustadia Development Inc., one of the partners in Guelph Centre Partners Corp., and Trevor Cochrane, president of the Cochrane Group, Nustadia's parent company, to join the committee.
Not only will the committee see if there are other ways to provide city councillors with more direct information about the company's financial situation, but it will also try to enhance the relationship in other areas.
City resident Joe Sharpe is not at all happy that the city is stepping in to pay the loan of GCP. He told city council last week that it should ask GCP for the keys and "say goodbye" and then make the audit a public document.
"The city should never again go into a private partnership where we can't track the money," Sharpe told council. The new committee is a step in the right direction, he said after the meeting, but it is not nearly enough.
Recently, Creech and Kennedy were permitted to view GCP's latest financial statement, but they couldn't tell city council the exact numbers in the statement.
"I'd have to say that in any new business the first couple of years are always difficult," Creech said. "We didn't see any need for the city to have any concerns whatever from the perspective of the arena."
GCP didn't allow councillors to see the financial statement partly because once a document is turned over to the city it becomes public, competitors in the arena business might learn something that would put GCP at a disadvantage.
Coun. Cathy Downer said that the relationship could go on for another 35 years, so it is worth the effort to make it work. She said she understands that GCP doesn't want its statement to become public, but perhaps councillors could review the statement for this year and hold a question-and-answer session with company officials and senior staff.
"How can we seem accountable to the people of Guelph without having the opportunity to see those statements or discuss those statements?" she asked.
She suggested setting up the committee to work out a way of protecting GCP's interests by keeping the statement out of the public realm, but allowing politicians to be more accountable. The current approach of having the city's two senior official view the statement and report back in general terms is not acceptable, she said.
"It is a benefit for us if this partnership works in the long run," said Mayor Karen Farbridge in supporting the new committee. "We can try to do better at this partnership on both sides."
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Copyright The Guelph Tribune 2003 .: Jul 11, 2003.
Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre general manager Mike Bigelli says his biggest task is clear, and unfortunately it's not getting any easier.
Booking special entertainment attractions is the top priority for Bigelli in his job of running the facility.
"Hockey is done. That is simple, you know it's there," he says. "But it's the other sorts of things you have to try and make happen."
And that remains a challenge in a small market near the larger centres of Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo, he says.
"Our biggest problem is the size of the market and the confidence that a promoter has coming to this market . . . versus going to Kitchener or, typically, to Toronto."
It's the off-season at Guelph's downtown ice palace, with hockey fever at a summertime low pitch. But Bigelli is still busy behind the scenes trying to convince hesitant promoters that this is a good place to bring shows that will make the centre's box office hum.
He says his job involves "a lot of phone calls, a lot of begging and a lot of negotiations," and it's not getting any easier. "It's never easy. It's always a challenge, because you're a small market."
Difficulties that he faces range from competition with other Ontario facilities to the lingering effects of SARS and even the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, he says. "People are afraid to go on tour . . . it still has an effect," he says of the fallout of terrorism.
Bigelli hopes to announce a major event for the GSEC within three to four weeks, and he has some events already lined up for coming months.
Upcoming events at the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Cenre include an Oktoberfest event Oct. 17 and 18 in conjunction with a local Rotary club, and a Battle of the Badges on Oct. 25 - a charity event that involves police teams playing hockey, with Eddie Shack and perhaps a couple of other NHL old-timers adding some "slapstick comedy." There's also an NHL old-timers game set for January, and other events are being planned as well.
"A lot of negotiations are going on, but we are still waiting for commitments from promoters."
Bigelli says the GSEC is getting "a proportionate share" of big events "for the size of our market . . .
"Are we satisfied? I would love to see more events in here, but promoters typically look for the larger markets."
Toronto facilities such as the Air Canada Centre are among those that complicate the GSEC's efforts to attract shows, says Bigelli, who notes he has lost shows because of "radius clauses" that prevent shows from coming here if they play Toronto or Hamilton.
'INFLATED PRICES'
The Casino Rama facility in Orillia, which can afford to pay "inflated prices" for talent and is "even putting a damper" on Toronto venues, is a factor as well, he says.
There has also been a "big honeymoon period" at a new arena in London that opened last October and has been busy with special events, he says.
Twice the size of the GSEC, that arena "is probably giving the promoters an option to make more money on a similar show."
Bigelli says that when shows do come to the GSEC, it's important they be successful so that promoters won't be put off bringing other shows here. "When we do book an event, it's imperative that we have community support and people purchase tickets."
'DID OKAY'
While some concerts at the GSEC, including a concert by Great Big Sea, have done very well, others have fallen short. Shows by the Guess Who band and by Wayne Newton "did okay" but should have done better in this market, he says. A planned concert by The Tea Party band, which sold 3,000 tickets in Kincardine, sold only 300 for the GSEC and ended up being moved to Club Denim, he notes.
The GSEC has a capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 people for big events, depending on stage design and sight lines.
Bigelli said he didn't hold any discussions with the Buffalo Sabres about preseason games to be played this year against Tampa in Kitchener and against Ottawa in St. Catharines. But he said he is working with the Toronto Maple Leafs about possible preseason matches.
Bigelli was lured to his current post from a theme park-related job in England by Nustadia Developments Inc., the city's private sector partner in building a new home for the Guelph Storm on the former Eaton's store site. Before that, he had managed a new arena in Sarnia and at the same time an arena project at York University for more than two years. The Sarnia arena was built by Nustadia, which came to know Bigelli there.
Before that, he was director of operations at Toronto's SkyDome from 1988-95 and attractions manager at Canada's Wonderland from 1980-88.
18 EVENTS A YEAR
A report on the first three years of GSEC operations, which was recently considered by city council, said the centre was on target with its forecast to hold 18 special events a year.
However, Guelph Centre Partners, which Nustadia set up to run the centre, has been struggling to make enough money to cover construction loan payments, and the private-public partnership in Guelph has been rocky.
The city has been covering loan payments under a controversial refinancing deal with GCP.
Calgary-based Nustadia, which has its Ontario offices in Burlington, continues to promote partnerships with public organizations to develop multi-purpose sports, entertainment and recreation facilities, though. It recently made a pitch in Paris, where Brant County may build a new twin-pad arena, according to a Brantford Expositor story this week.
Aug 31, 2001. The Guelph Tribune 2001
City officials say arena manager Nustadia has actually contributed more than its contractual share of construction costs of the new Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre.
Meanwhile, a petition will be presented to city council Tuesday on behalf of citizens "concerned about costs incurred and potential costs to city taxpayers of the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre."
A news release said Mayor Karen Farbridge is "pleased" that Guelph Centre Partners Inc., an arm of Nustadia, "had met and exceeded their financial obligation to invest $1.5 million of their own equity into the project."
The release said "the approved estimates for the centre totalled $21 million while the actual expenditures totalled $21.8 million. The City of Guelph provided $10.5 million of funding toward the project. Guelph Centre Partners Inc. provided the balance of the funds." Finance director David Kennedy told the Trib that Nustadia actually contributed $2.3 million of its own equity in addition to a $9-million bank loan.
The petition requests "that city council make public all financial documents, including estimates of future costs, either presented to or prepared by the City of Guelph." Petition organizer Malcolm Chumbley, who ran unsuccessfully for city council last fall, said about 400 people have signed the petition. Chumbley is a regional organizer for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation but said the petition was started on his own, as a private citizen of Guelph. He wants assurance that local taxpayers won't be on the hook for any more debt if Nustadia pulls out.
He also objects to the new deal the city made behind closed doors to lend Nustadia $725,000 a year for four years to be applied to loan repayment, plus cover $100,000 a year in federal and provincial taxes. "Hey, can I have a temporary loan of $3.3 million interest- free, too?" said Chumbley.
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.: Sep 13, 2002. Copyright The Guelph Tribune 2002
Financial accountability to the public is a key reason why city council decided to set up a new committee to find ways to work more closely with Guelph Centre Partners.
The private company operates the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre on behalf of the city. But the public-private partnership has been rocky because the arena operator hasn't been making enough money to cover its $9-million loan payment.
A year ago the city agreed to make the quarterly $90,000 loan payment, anticipating that after four years and nearly $2 million in payments, including principal and interest, GCP will be in a position to pay the money back to the city.
Partnerships with private companies are a challenge for municipalities, so council opted to set up the committee made up Mayor Karen Farbridge, city administrator David Creech and director of finance David Kennedy. They have also asked Ben Sproule, vice- president of Nustadia Development Inc., one of the partners in Guelph Centre Partners Corp., and Trevor Cochrane, president of the Cochrane Group, Nustadia's parent company, to join the committee.
Not only will the committee see if there are other ways to provide city councillors with more direct information about the company's financial situation, but it will also try to enhance the relationship in other areas.
City resident Joe Sharpe is not at all happy that the city is stepping in to pay the loan of GCP. He told city council last week that it should ask GCP for the keys and "say goodbye" and then make the audit a public document.
"The city should never again go into a private partnership where we can't track the money," Sharpe told council. The new committee is a step in the right direction, he said after the meeting, but it is not nearly enough.
Recently, Creech and Kennedy were permitted to view GCP's latest financial statement, but they couldn't tell city council the exact numbers in the statement.
"I'd have to say that in any new business the first couple of years are always difficult," Creech said. "We didn't see any need for the city to have any concerns whatever from the perspective of the arena."
GCP didn't allow councillors to see the financial statement partly because once a document is turned over to the city it becomes public, competitors in the arena business might learn something that would put GCP at a disadvantage.
Coun. Cathy Downer said that the relationship could go on for another 35 years, so it is worth the effort to make it work. She said she understands that GCP doesn't want its statement to become public, but perhaps councillors could review the statement for this year and hold a question-and-answer session with company officials and senior staff.
"How can we seem accountable to the people of Guelph without having the opportunity to see those statements or discuss those statements?" she asked.
She suggested setting up the committee to work out a way of protecting GCP's interests by keeping the statement out of the public realm, but allowing politicians to be more accountable. The current approach of having the city's two senior official view the statement and report back in general terms is not acceptable, she said.
"It is a benefit for us if this partnership works in the long run," said Mayor Karen Farbridge in supporting the new committee. "We can try to do better at this partnership on both sides."
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Copyright The Guelph Tribune 2003 .: Jul 11, 2003.
Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre general manager Mike Bigelli says his biggest task is clear, and unfortunately it's not getting any easier.
Booking special entertainment attractions is the top priority for Bigelli in his job of running the facility.
"Hockey is done. That is simple, you know it's there," he says. "But it's the other sorts of things you have to try and make happen."
And that remains a challenge in a small market near the larger centres of Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo, he says.
"Our biggest problem is the size of the market and the confidence that a promoter has coming to this market . . . versus going to Kitchener or, typically, to Toronto."
It's the off-season at Guelph's downtown ice palace, with hockey fever at a summertime low pitch. But Bigelli is still busy behind the scenes trying to convince hesitant promoters that this is a good place to bring shows that will make the centre's box office hum.
He says his job involves "a lot of phone calls, a lot of begging and a lot of negotiations," and it's not getting any easier. "It's never easy. It's always a challenge, because you're a small market."
Difficulties that he faces range from competition with other Ontario facilities to the lingering effects of SARS and even the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, he says. "People are afraid to go on tour . . . it still has an effect," he says of the fallout of terrorism.
Bigelli hopes to announce a major event for the GSEC within three to four weeks, and he has some events already lined up for coming months.
Upcoming events at the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Cenre include an Oktoberfest event Oct. 17 and 18 in conjunction with a local Rotary club, and a Battle of the Badges on Oct. 25 - a charity event that involves police teams playing hockey, with Eddie Shack and perhaps a couple of other NHL old-timers adding some "slapstick comedy." There's also an NHL old-timers game set for January, and other events are being planned as well.
"A lot of negotiations are going on, but we are still waiting for commitments from promoters."
Bigelli says the GSEC is getting "a proportionate share" of big events "for the size of our market . . .
"Are we satisfied? I would love to see more events in here, but promoters typically look for the larger markets."
Toronto facilities such as the Air Canada Centre are among those that complicate the GSEC's efforts to attract shows, says Bigelli, who notes he has lost shows because of "radius clauses" that prevent shows from coming here if they play Toronto or Hamilton.
'INFLATED PRICES'
The Casino Rama facility in Orillia, which can afford to pay "inflated prices" for talent and is "even putting a damper" on Toronto venues, is a factor as well, he says.
There has also been a "big honeymoon period" at a new arena in London that opened last October and has been busy with special events, he says.
Twice the size of the GSEC, that arena "is probably giving the promoters an option to make more money on a similar show."
Bigelli says that when shows do come to the GSEC, it's important they be successful so that promoters won't be put off bringing other shows here. "When we do book an event, it's imperative that we have community support and people purchase tickets."
'DID OKAY'
While some concerts at the GSEC, including a concert by Great Big Sea, have done very well, others have fallen short. Shows by the Guess Who band and by Wayne Newton "did okay" but should have done better in this market, he says. A planned concert by The Tea Party band, which sold 3,000 tickets in Kincardine, sold only 300 for the GSEC and ended up being moved to Club Denim, he notes.
The GSEC has a capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 people for big events, depending on stage design and sight lines.
Bigelli said he didn't hold any discussions with the Buffalo Sabres about preseason games to be played this year against Tampa in Kitchener and against Ottawa in St. Catharines. But he said he is working with the Toronto Maple Leafs about possible preseason matches.
Bigelli was lured to his current post from a theme park-related job in England by Nustadia Developments Inc., the city's private sector partner in building a new home for the Guelph Storm on the former Eaton's store site. Before that, he had managed a new arena in Sarnia and at the same time an arena project at York University for more than two years. The Sarnia arena was built by Nustadia, which came to know Bigelli there.
Before that, he was director of operations at Toronto's SkyDome from 1988-95 and attractions manager at Canada's Wonderland from 1980-88.
18 EVENTS A YEAR
A report on the first three years of GSEC operations, which was recently considered by city council, said the centre was on target with its forecast to hold 18 special events a year.
However, Guelph Centre Partners, which Nustadia set up to run the centre, has been struggling to make enough money to cover construction loan payments, and the private-public partnership in Guelph has been rocky.
The city has been covering loan payments under a controversial refinancing deal with GCP.
Calgary-based Nustadia, which has its Ontario offices in Burlington, continues to promote partnerships with public organizations to develop multi-purpose sports, entertainment and recreation facilities, though. It recently made a pitch in Paris, where Brant County may build a new twin-pad arena, according to a Brantford Expositor story this week.