A downtown Saskatoon arena can work, says Edmonton developer

If Saskatoon is looking for an example of how to make a downtown arena work, one developer suggests decision makers cast their gaze Edmonton's way.

Talk of replacing SaskTel Centre is in the preliminary stages.

• Saskatoon explores possibility of downtown arena

But Edmonton developer Bob Black said it can be done.

"A modern facility done right can give rise to a new opportunity to develop in the core," said Black in an interview with CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

Black is in Saskatoon to speak at a small business luncheon. He headed up the design and development of Edmonton's new Rogers Place Arena, and said it has led to a revitalization of the downtown core.

"We have right now on the order of $5 billion worth of construction that has been initiated," he said.

Black addedit didn't happen by accident. His advice to Saskatoon is to make sure that if the decision is made to build a new arena downtown that much careful planning is done first.

"To ensure that the facility really fits into the downtown core, that it is built in the right location in the downtown core to really take advantage of the opportunity to knit the core together to make the core a more attractive, walkable place."

Back in August, SaskTel Centre and TCU Place joined forces to hire a consultant. The options to be studied are wide-open, and will include the idea of building a new arena, in a new location. A report is expected by June 15, 2017.