Push is on for new downtown arena in Saskatoon

Some people in Saskatoon would have you believe there's a bit of sports envy happening when they look at Regina to the south.

It's been said Regina is becoming a sports mecca because of all the new facilities going up.

Actually, there is only one. That would be the new stadium, but it's all about getting Saskatoon excited about the prospectof a new downtown arena.

Without a doubt, Saskatoon's Saskatchewan Rush are the hottest thing to hit the provincial sports scene since RiderNation exploded almost a decade ago.

The rush are filling the SaskTel Centre every time out. The arena is bursting at the seams for lacrosse games but at the same time exposing its weaknesses.Suddenly, the corridors aren't wide enough and there's never enough concessions and washrooms..

That has some folks thinking out loud in Saskatoon.

New Downtown arena for Saskatoon?

Tourism Saskatoon is pushing for a new downtown arena despite the fact the SaskTel Centre is not even 30 years old.But with the rate of modernization and technological advances in this day and age, maybe 30 is pushing the limits.

Regina Pats' owner Todd Lumbard agrees.

"I don't know if it is young anymore, some of the cities, particularly in the states, seem to cycle through arenas fairly quickly," he said."It's certainly newer than the Brandt Centre."

Lumbard's Pats are playing in a facility which will be turning 50 in a little more than a decade.

"There's lots of little things we would like to see worked on, but there's no question a new arena is a dream somewhere down the road but nothing imminent on that," he said.

The Pats have been generating their own buzz lately. They are playing some good hockey, and now with the playoffs underway, the Brandt Centre is being filled to near capacity.

That has certainly sparked the imagination of the Pats owners.They have already poured thousand of dollars into renovationsfor their 40-year-old building, and will likely have to spend thousands more.

A new downtown arena, with all of its state of the art benefits, is a fun thing to think about.

"Obviously they can start right from the beginning with new technologies," he said. "We see it with the Riders stadium, how they are going to have great up-to-date facilities for the team, for the fans. It will be a great experience to see that in a new facility for sure."

The Pats' owner saidit would take a great partnership within the entire community to make a new arena happen.

But with a new stadium and its near 300 million dollar price tag going up right next door, there's probably not going to be a taxpayer appetite for another sports facility in Regina anytime soon.