Thunder Bay City Council unanimously voted to explore selling naming rights for various recreational facilities, including the Fort William Gardens. The move aims to generate revenue and leverage corporate partnerships for the city. City staff propose a 3-year implementation plan to test the waters before potentially extending contracts to 5-10 years. The process will involve vetting potential sponsors and negotiating naming rights agreements with businesses.
Thunder Bay businesses could soon have the opportunity to place their names on prominent city-owned facilities, including the Fort William Gardens. City council voted unanimously to pursue a plan to sell naming rights for various recreational sites. Administration proposed a 3-year implementation plan for these naming rights contracts, allowing the city to evaluate the process and refine its strategy. If successful, the city could extend the contracts to 5- to 10-year agreements.
Judy Haber, CEO of the consulting firm Performance Sponsorship Group (PSG), presented council with an overview of the naming rights plan at Monday's meeting. Haber emphasized the importance of transparency throughout the process, as the city would be entering into a partnership with businesses. However, she stressed that ultimately, city council retains the authority to decide which businesses to approach. PSG identified five potential sites for naming rights, including the Fort William Gardens, the Canada Games Complex, a proposed multi-use indoor turf facility, the Prince Arthur's Landing festival area, and the Centennial Botanical Conservatory. The festival area and conservatory were highlighted as high priority due to their upcoming reopening, presenting a chance to enhance their marketing value. PSG and city staff established criteria for prioritizing these sites, taking into account factors like new construction and major facility enhancements. Coun. Greg Johnsen inquired about the responsibility of vetting sponsors: PSG or city administration. Haber clarified that PSG, in collaboration with city staff, would develop a list of potential sponsors for review and approval by city staff and potentially by council. Once approved, they would jointly create a sales package. Negotiations regarding the specific amount businesses would pay for naming rights would occur between the municipality and the business. Recently, the City of Kenora secured $700,000 in naming rights sponsorships for three recreation and tourism facilities over a 10-year period. Coun. Rajni Agarwal, noting Kenora's smaller size compared to Thunder Bay, asked Haber if she had any data on potential sponsorship amounts in cities similar in size and scope. Haber explained that each city, regardless of size, has unique pricing models. She stated that negotiations typically occur before a naming rights deal is finalized. Several factors influence pricing, including the state of the facility
NAMING RIGHTS SPONSORSHIP CITY FACILITIES THUNDER BAY CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
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