It’s been nearly 10 years since Affinity Place opened to the public, and with naming rights set to expire at the end of August, the City of Estevan is embarking on the process of selling the naming rights to the facility and other sports and recreation sites in the city.
Estevan city council approved the naming rights package at Monday night’s meeting. The big-ticket item is Affinity Place, which carries a price tag of $100,000 a year for five years. But there are other high-profile facilities available, including the swimming pool ($50,000 per year), the south arena ($10,000 annually) and the Estevan Public Library ($30,000 each year).
Corporate boxes, which were the hottest seller during the last naming rights campaign, will be $5,000 a year.
The current naming rights holders, including Affinity Credit Union for the events centre, will be given the right of first refusal.
Also available for sale this time around are program opportunities, the skate park, tennis courts and parks and pathway benches.
During the meeting, council decided not to sell the naming rights to pathways, parks and spray parks.
It was also noted that the city would not have a corporate box in the events centre this time.
The biggest difference between this campaign and the previous one is that naming rights this time around will be five years as opposed to 10 years.
“Hopefully in five years the economy will have bounced back,” said Mayor Roy Ludwig.
Also, the length of the campaign was different. The last one started in 2007 and wrapped up in 2011. This time it will be carried out in less than a year.
Funds raised through the naming rights sales will be directed to facility upkeep.
This week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
