Ontario Construction News staff writer
Sudbury city council approved a resolution July 9 to award a single source contract to KKR Advisors Ltd. with an upset limit of $200,000, to support event centre project development.
KKR Advisors provides property development advisory services with a focus on sports, recreation and entertainment facility development, as well as financial and negotiation advisory services.
Sudbury staff is also in the process of preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for architectural services.
“In order to allow the architect to proceed with detailed design, we need to determine the exact location for the event centre,” said Tony Cecutti, growth and infrastructure general manager.
The exact location needs to reflect the constraints within the south district and maximize the development potential of the area.
KKR Advisors’ work on the Arena/Event Centre will begin in July 2024. This work will include:
- Undertaking a site assessment to identify potential locations for the Arena/Event Centre and explore adjacent economic development opportunities in the South District.
- Gathering background information and engaging in discussions with developers prior to the award of the Detailed Design of the Event Centre to an Architectural Firm.
- Assisting with negotiating Term Sheets with the Sudbury Wolves and the Sudbury Five with the aim of securing a new lease with the teams as part of the team’s commitment to a new building.
Managing partner Ron Bidulka, previously worked with the City of Greater Sudbury in 2017 on the Arena/Event Centre project.
KKR will gather the background information and engage in discussions with developers prior to the award of the detailed design of the event centre to an architectural firm that will contribute to the ultimate layout of the development of the South District.
“While it is normal for staff to use a competitive procurement to retain these kinds of services, in this case we believe the single sourcing process is preferred at this time,” Cecutti said. “The main reasons for this recommendation include that this will allow the project to proceed on schedule.”
To read the full report from this meeting visit www.greatersudbury.ca/city-hall/mayor-and-council/meetings-agendas-and-minutes and select the agenda for the July 9 meeting.
Council voted in April voted to build a $200 million event centre in the southern portion of the downtown core.
The facility will include 5,800 seats, enhanced accessibility and environmental sustainability features.
Councillors chose to build from the ground up instead of renewing the existing Sudbury Community Arena, after a report from the consulting firm Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects found it would not be cheaper to renovate the 73 year old building.
Greater Sudbury will borrow $135 million on top of the $90 million obtained at a 2.4 per cent interest rate in 2020 for the now-defunct Kingsway Entertainment District (KED).
About $25 million of that $90 million has already been spent, with the most important expense being the cost of buying properties downtown and demolishing the buildings on those properties to make way for the new event centre.