Muskeg Lake, City of Saskatoon in talks to develop potential downtown arena

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation has (MLCN) are officially in partnership negotiations with the City of Saskatoon on the development of a potential Downtown Event and Entertainment District (DEED).

On June 24, City Council has directed Administration to start negotiations with MLCN, following consideration of a report outlining the opportunity. Council’s decision does not approve the final agreement – it authorizes Administration to begin direct negotiations.

City Council unanimously approved talks with MLCN on an arena district with a price tag estimated at $1.2 billion.

“Great cities are built through strong partnerships and a willingness to think differently about the future,” said Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block in a statement.

“The goal of these discussions is to determine whether there is a path forward that delivers mutual benefit, creates new opportunities, and reflects the shared ambitions of (MLCN) and the City of Saskatoon.”

MLCN has a history of groundbreaking developments. In 1988, MLC established Asimakeniseekan Askiy in Saskatoon, the first commercial urban reserve in Canada. The potential arena site could become an urban reserve.

“We are optimistic about what this opportunity could mean for our citizens and for the revitalization of downtown Saskatoon,” said MLCN Chief Kelly Wolfe.

“At the same time, we want to manage expectations. These discussion are only the beginning, and our priority will be ensuring that any potential partnership is responsible, sustainable, and protects the long term interests of (MLCN),” he said.

Wolfe also shared a potential vision for the arena. At the city council meeting, Wolfe stated intentions to ‘dream big’, with ideas for a professional hockey hockey team, in the American Hockey league or ‘expansion team’ in Saskatoon if the DEED becomes a reality.

“We want to reach for the stars,” said Wolfe. “Maybe we start with an American Hockey League team, a farm team, just to show we’re capable, we have the capacity to do it.”

Currently, MLCN’s urban reserve is home to roughly 50 businesses and supports more than 750 jobs, including the Lakeside Medical Centre – the largest non-hospital medical facility in Saskatchewan.

“By creating meaningful opportunities for Indigenous ownership, economic development, operations, employment, career development cultural expression, and Indigenous placemaking and peacekeeping, the District can move beyond symbolic recognition and embed Reconciliation into one of Saskatoon’s most significant city-building initiatives,” said Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services at the City of Saskatoon.

The proposed site for the new arena is the north parking lot of Midtown Plaza and TCU Place. Plans would also include an update and expanded TCU convention centre.

Going forward, once negotiations between city administration and MLCN have advanced to the point where key terms are sufficiently defined, administration will report back to city council with details of the proposed partnership and any recommendations required to support implementation.

Administration will also report back to city council every two months. Any future agreements will be subject to city council and MLCN governance approval.