Businessman lobbies for facility.

A wealth of business opportunities for the city of Thunder Bay lies in the construction of a new multi-event facility, a local businessman says.

But in order to tap into that wealth, Dave Ferguson says the city needs to move forward on the idea immediately.

Ferguson is leading a private group of people in their fight to get the city to apply for some of the $300 million of the province's SuperBuild Growth Fund to help pay for a state-of-the-art arena and event centre.

Based on the economic impact these multi-event facilities have had in other Canadian cities - some smaller than Thunder Bay - it wouldn't be wise for Thunder Bay to pass up the opportunity to develop a similar facility, he adds.

In a letter sent to Ferguson from Gail Surkan, the mayor of Red Deer, Surkan states the community's 6000-seat Centrium, a multipurpose facility located in Westerner Park, an 115-acre integrated exhibition and trade park, has had "a very positive economic, social, recreational and cultural impact" on the community. Also, "a recent economic impact study determined that the Westerner Park operation, through its many events and programs, returns in excess of $70 million per year to the community."

Ferguson believes a similar facility in Thunder Bay could generate those same returns for the city, and that by tapping into the SuperBuild fund the community can get a $20-million multipurpose facility of its own at less cost to the city.

If the cost of the facility were absorbed by the municipal, provincial and federal governments at a contribution of $7 million each, the city could develop a $21-million event centre, he explains.

The land could be supplied by the city, and then some private funding could come in, he adds.

The Ontario SuperBuild Growth Fund, introduced in the province's 1999 budget, is a five-year, $20-billion initiative aimed at improving the province's capital planning and investment in infrastructure.

But under the terms of the SuperBuild Growth Fund, a community can make only one application for money to improve or expand a local sport, culture or tourism facility.

Ferguson's sentiments are shared by a second local group pushing for the new arena and event centre.

Lakehead University is also hoping the city will take advantage of the available SuperBuild funds and has even hired a Michigan-based consultant to study the economic spinoffs of such a facility.

According to the results of the study, a new sports arena and event centre would boost the economy by almost $60 million during construction and an additional $11.6 mil lion during operation.

Although the idea has earned the support of some city councillors, Ken Boshcoff, the mayor of Thunder Bay, says he isn't convinced a 6,000-seat multi-event facility is a top priority for the city right now.

Boshcoff says he is doubtful a new building will create the possibilities that the two separate groups claim, and notes the city has poured a lot of money into refurbishing Fort William Gardens - a total of $5.5 million in the last decade because it was told that facility would last another 20 years.

Boshcoff says he isn't completely opposed to the idea, but adds there has been nothing so far to indicate a real need for it. Instead, he says he would prefer to improve the city's existing facilities.