The field house sponsored by Battlefords Tribal Council is now a reality, but the organization insists they are not through yet.
BTC officials unveiled some of their updated business plans for projects in North Battleford, which includes expansion to the Gold Eagle Casino and a mall connecting the casino to the Gold Eagle Lodge.
The plans were presented as part of a luncheon held at Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts, held shortly after the official ribbon cutting for the new NationsWEST Field House.
The first order of business was for Chief Wayne Semaganis to present a cheque of $250,000, BTC's final installment of $750,000 for naming rights to the field house.
Semaganis presented that cheque to Mayor Ian Hamilton and to CUPlex fundraising co-chairs Rob Rongve and Heath Gabruch. BTC has dubbed the completed new facility as the NationsWEST Field House."
The second order of business was for Randy Wallace, currently a policy and planning advisor to Battlefords First Nations, to provide the business update for the BTC organization. Wallace revised plans for additions to the Gold Eagle Casino and a long-proposed mall development connecting to Gold Eagle Lodge.
In the past, BTC had talked about building an entirely new casino as a possible replacement to the current Gold Eagle Casino building.
Instead of going that route, BTC is proposing building a new addition, to be located where the parking lot currently is next to the Kihiw Restaurant, in front of the current casino building.
The idea is for this new addition to be a well-ventilated smoke-free area, addressing longstanding concerns about ventilation inside the current casino building.
On the east side of the building where the Gold Ridge Centre currently is, plans are to build a connecting mall that would link Gold Eagle Casino to the Gold Eagle Lodge.
Included in that plan are a number of new stores and convention facilities and office space, including a new restaurant.
There are also plans for upgraded food-and-beverage and entertainment facilities, as well as extensive exterior and interior renovations to the existing buildings.
In addition, BTC is also planning an expanded "automall" consisting of a new Gold Eagle gas bar, new convenience store and some retail space north of the Gold Eagle Casino. BTC also plan to put money towards the proposed First Nations Heritage Park.
The total commitment is estimated at over $40 million for the whole package, says Wallace.
"All of these things bring more business into the community," said Wallace. "People will come into the Battlefords to patronize these new facilities."
Wallace indicated the intention is to get moving on the casino addition and the mall quickly.
The latest plans for the casino have already been presented to SIGA.
"This particular schematic is in the hands of (president) Zane Hansen and SIGA staff right now," said Wallace. The intention is to move ahead to detail design phase this year.
There are some longer-term plans in the works as well. Wallace confirmed that BTC still has plans for a second hotel building to be located north of the existing Gold Eagle Lodge.
There are also plans for a third hotel, because "we need more high-quality hotel space to support convention business and international and regional tourism," said Wallace.
He told reporters the hope is to get the site work started on the second hotel in 2013 and completed in 2014.
The ultimate idea is for the whole development to be a major international tourism attraction and destination, with recognizable brand names sought for a new restaurant and the new hotel.
"This area, called the southeast quadrant, is going to be world class. That is the objective," said Wallace.
Plans for a mall, new casino, and expanded hotel space are nothing new and there have been previous announcements to that effect by BTC. Wallace acknowledged a contract was signed back in 2006 with SIGA for a new casino, but plans were stalled due to internal First Nations politics.
"We've been ready to build this complex for the past five years," said Wallace.
The expectation is that once the proposed casino expansion and mall addition is completed that the casino's current revenues would jump from the current $50 million to $60 million annually, according to Wallace.
While there had been talk about building a new casino building in the past, and Wallace had told the audience that Chief Perry Bellegarde of FSIN looked into building a new casino in different locations. An upgrade of the existing facility was being put forward as a second option, said Wallace.
"We've looked at the economics, and this casino is quite adequate. The structure is very good," said Wallace. "We have all the square footage for all the functions."
He told reporters BTC plans to invest between $8 to $10 million on the new casino addition. Going that route makes the most business sense, Wallace noted, and will increase the bottom line.
"Spending $30 million on a new building isn't going to go to the bottom line, it's going to mean more debt. Financing for this expansion is coming strictly from BTC. SIGA does not have to take on any more debt," said Wallace.
