Ward 11 candidate Terry Kett says that a convention centre is a key component of the Kingsway Entertainment District.
Kett says that much of the infrastructure will already be in place for the convention centre and will be able to be built for a third of the price that it would cost to construct downtown.
"All that needs to be done is to use the outside wall of the hotel and expand outwards in a big square to have the convention centre. Everything else is already there - parking, electricity, water and sewer, festival square etc," said Kett in a news release.
"The convention component can be built for 1/3 of what a convention center could be built downtown $15,000,000 instead of $60,000,000."
Full text of Terry Kett's news release can be found below:
Convention Centre: A Key Part Of The KED
The Convention Centre has to be part of the KED!
Think about it: There will be a large hotel with meeting rooms necessary for a convention. The arena component can be used as a convention floor. The hotel, convention centre and event center will be linked by a huge heated walkway.
All that needs to be done is to use the outside wall of the hotel and expand outwards in a big square to have the convention centre. Everything else is already there - parking, electricity, water and sewer, festival square etc.
The convention component can be built for 1/3 of what a convention center could be built downtown $15,000,000 instead of $60,000,000.
Let’s leave the performing arts center downtown but let’s take advantage of the economies of scale that the KED gives us. The Convention Centre will give us a 25 per cent increase in meetings and conventions. We can expect 221 Marketing and Convention events per year. This would result in a $24,000,000 increase in GDP for our city.
The much less expensive 20,000 sq.ft. convention centre will make us the 11th Tier 3 convention centre in Canada!
We want to be the capital of Northeastern Ontario. We need a convention centre! Now is our opportunity. Let’s not miss it. Let’s do it now
