REAL CEO believes August could see return of Queen City Ex, CFL season

Evraz Place is preparing to not only host football games this summer, but also the return of one of Regina’s biggest parties of the summer.

Regina Exhibition Association Limited CEO Tim Reid joined the Green Zone on Thursday to discuss summer events at Evraz Place.

While Saskatchewan Roughriders fans were excited to hear Aug. 5 as a possible start date for the CFL, Reid says that date could also mark the return of the Queen City Ex.

“We’re cautious that it’s going to look different or may have to look different but I think the Fifth of August is realistic. That being said, it could change next week but that seems to be the plan,” Reid said.

“Every day we do something, we’re learning more about being safe through COVID-19 and we’ve worked closely with the Riders and the SHA on how to reopen the stadium and we’re quite comfortable that whatever we’re approved for, we will be able to deliver.

“We’ve got three plans around the Queen City Ex – one that says we’re not allowed to do it, one that says we do it the way we always have, and a plan that says we only use the outdoor components of the venue.”

It could mark one of the first large events of the year for Regina if it gets the go-ahead.

While in an ideal world the Queen City Ex would happen as it has in previous years, it’s ultimately up to the Saskatchewan Health Authority to determine what it will look like.

“We’ve recognized our business is not being medical experts and we leave that to those that are,” Reid said.

He said Evraz Place feels comfortable it can do whatever the SHA asks to hold events. Reid says it’s fairly easy to find out how to keep people separated while seated, but the real challenge comes with how to serve food and keep people separated while entering and exiting the venues.

“Those coming into the venue and those leaving need some degree of separation. You see it right now with the WHL bubble that is happening is that there is really specific requirements on how teams, even in an isolated environment, can access the facilities,” Reid said.

And it’s that work with the WHL that makes Reid feel even more comfortable the campus could host events again.

“We’ve learned a great deal through the WHL bubble and I can’t minimize the value of that because there’s very few communities in Canada who have done that. We understand what it’s like to deliver high-level performance sport in really some of the most challenging times of COVID-19 in our community,” Reid said.

Along with how people enter and leave, Reid says some other questions that hover over the future of entertainment are things like if people will want physical tickets or use cash to pay for things.

But as the world begins to return to pre-COVID times, Reid says Evraz Place officials have a growing wealth of experience to pull from.

“The great thing about the venue industry is people share. We can call anyone in the U.S. and they can share their pros and cons and what they’ve learned,” Reid said.