REGINA - Some big numbers are being reported this week in the first three rounds of retail liquor permit auctions.
The auctions have been taking place online at the McDougall Auction website this week. So far, there has been no shortage of bidders or bids, with all winning bids being sold for six figures or more.
For the first two rounds of bidding, seven of the winning bids came in in excess of $1 million. By Friday afternoon, that number went up to ten.
It's been reported the first day's bidding saw the permit in Regina go for $1.45 million, Prince Albert for $1.4 million and Saskatoon for $1.25 million.
On Thursday, bidding for a second Regina permit topped a reported $1.56 million, a second Saskatoon permit went for $1.3 million, Estevan topped $1.4 million, and Moose Jaw closed for over $1.2 million.
The third round of bids were set to close Friday afternoon and the bidding was again competitive, with the bidding being extended past the 2 p.m. deadline.
For those bids, the bidding for a third Regina permit exceeded $1.53 million and for Saskatoon past $1.5 million, with bidding still in progress as of 2:45 p.m.; Swift Current, meanwhile, sold at $1.456 million.
Nipawin sold for over $800,000, and bids were still coming in for Biggar at $950,000 and Meadow Lake at $726,000.
There are still three more rounds of bids set to close next week for auctions for permits in several more communities. A total of 35 retail liquor permits are being auctioned by SLGA to replace the 34 publicly-owned liquor stores that are closing by the end of March, as well as an additional permit for a previously closed store in Saskatoon.
