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With Saskatoon just waiting for the green light from the Canadian Premier League (CPL) to go ahead with building its new $28-million soccer-specific stadium, some in Regina are wondering if they”ll get something similar.
On Tuesday, details were unveiled around plans proposed by Living Sky Sports & Entertainment (LSSE) to build a 5,500-seat stadium at Prairieland Park at Marquis Downs.
Al Simpson, the president of LSSE, says once shovels are in the ground for Saskatoon’s stadium, Regina could be his next site for a similar-sized stadium and CPL club.
“Living Sky Sports & Entertainment was awarded the exclusive rights to launch professional soccer in Saskatchewan. That meant either Saskatoon or Regina or both,” Simpson explained.
“With Regina being involved, it would be much of the same as Saskatoon — to make a commitment to a soccer-ready stadium up to FIFA and CPL standards. Once that is done, I think Regina would be a great location for a CPL franchise.”
Simpson says a lot of time and energy has been spent on the Saskatoon project over the last two years, but he says conversations about bringing a stadium and CPL team to Regina are ongoing.
“We’re quietly working and talking to people in Regina about a soccer-specific venue not only for CPL but for other soccer community teams, as well as rugby and cricket,” Simpson stated.
Simpson feels having a stadium of that size serving not just soccer but other sports could be a big win for the people of Regina.
“You want to have stadiums that are multi-purpose and can serve the community rather than just a team or a single sport,” he said. “It is very important to have multi-purpose stadiums for not only sporting events but cultural and entertainment events as well.”
In order to get a stadium built, Simpson says LSSE would need funding from the local government, as well as potentially the provincial and federal governments.
Simpson adds if funding for a stadium can be put in place, there will likely be investors interested in bringing a CPL team to the Queen City.
“I think there is an appetite for a professional soccer club. I haven’t set my mind or attention to that just yet. The first question coming out of any investors mouth is, ‘You invest in a soccer club now, but where are we going to play?’ So I have to answer that first and then turn my attention to that,” he explained.
Simpson said teams from Europe could also potentially lend a hand in bringing a team to Regina.
“I’m certainly open to other local investors joining me and in a perfect scenario we might find someone who wants a larger percentage of the team who has operating experience in the land of soccer,” he said. “I would point to Atlético Ottawa, who has Atlético Madrid as their majority owners.
“So there you’ve got one of the 10 largest soccer clubs in the world being the majority owner of Ottawa in the CPL. So that would be an ideal situation.”
Simpson is also in charge of leading the development for a new stadium for the Regina Red Sox. He said a stadium in the railyards next to a new ballpark could create a perfect situation.
“I think they could be tied together. I know the City of Regina is prepared to review their Master Recreation Plan,” Simpson said. “If there is a willingness to take a look at the railyards as being an event centre with possibly an aquatic centre, baseball stadium and a soccer field, wouldn’t that be attractive for the Dewdney Avenue entertainment district?”