The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Whether they reside along the quiet roads of Creighton or the bustling streets of Saskatoon, Saskatchewanians share the passion. Their beloved green and white, the Roughriders, are as much a part of the fabric of the province as grain elevators and good manners. Now the football club has its eyes on a new home in downtown Regina. Along with the city and the two higher levels of government, the Riders are ordering a feasibility study into a state-of-the-art, year-round facility whose uses would stretch far beyond pigskin. "Around the Canadian Football League, almost every team is engaged in a significant renewal or replacement of its stadium," said Rob Pletch, the club's board chairman, in a press statement. "We very much appreciate the opportunity to participate in this study into the feasibility of a facility that would create an attractive and highly competitive new home for the Riders and many other events." Set for completion in January, the feasibility study represents a $1-million investment. It will be submitted to the relevant partners for review and a decision on whether to proceed. Two consultants have been contracted to complete the majority of work. Stadium Consultants International (SCI) will work on site planning, preliminary design options and costing. Global Spectrum will assist with the operational and facility business plan aspects of the project, including the scope of opportunities for the facility as a multi-purpose venue. As required, other consultants will be used to examine economic and local impacts. The study follows an initial concept review that outlined options to address the state of the Riders' present home, the aging Mosaic Stadium. "This is about so much more than a new facility," Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco said in the release. "This has the potential to be an urban re-development on a scale never before seen in our city. The impact of this project on our community would reach to every corner, every street, every neighbourhood and beyond." Western Economic Diversification Canada, a federal branch, is chipping in 40 per cent of the cost of the feasibility study. The province is putting in 40 per cent of its own, while the City of Regina and the Riders will each contribute 10 per cent.
