City council to decide on sale of facilities’ naming rights by week’s end

After getting pushback from Edmontonians, the mayor says he has reversed his position on selling naming rights to city facilities.

Edmonton’s mayor says he has reversed his position on selling naming rights to city facilities after getting pushback from the public.

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The City of Edmonton has a 10-year sponsorship deal with Booster Juice for the Terwillegar Rec Centre. That deal will stay.

City council is now debating whether to allow similar sponsorships for five other recreation centres – Meadows, Clareview, Commonwealth, Kinsmen and the new Coronation Velodrome once it opens.

City staff estimate selling naming rights to 25 facilities could bring in about $2 million a year, including the Booster Juice deal.

• City council to consider recommendation to sell naming rights to 26 facilities

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi says that meagre revenue isn’t worth the trade-off in civic pride.

“The community they are in, that should be the dominant name on the facility. not at the end of a sentence or a name. That’s the feedback I got,” Sohi told media on Wednesday.

Other city facilities such as Commonwealth Stadium could still be on the table for corporate naming rights as could smaller facilities such as community arenas.

Some councillors say the city should try to find revenue anywhere it can. City council is expected to make a decision on naming rights by the end of the week.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson