The $37 million International Trade Centre at Evraz Place officially opened its doors Monday, just a few weeks ahead of the 47th annual Canadian Western Agribition.
The 150,000 square foot facility includes three multi-purpose spaces, replacing a number of old buildings and barns that were past their prime.
“We’re thrilled to have a facility of this calibre and quality that will do two things; retain Agribition and help us grow our event business property for the community and in the future,” Mark Allan, Regina Exhibition Limited (REAL) President and CEO, said.
The new International Trade Centre connects all buildings at Evraz Place, with the exception of Mosaic Stadium. Officials say the 100-acre property is now the largest interconnected event complex of its kind in Canada.
Many agree it’s a major step up from the previous buildings.
“This is pretty exciting and it’s been a long time coming, the old facilities got pretty weak at the end,” Minister of Agriculture Lyle Stewart said.
“They were pretty bad. We had some leakage in the roof and gradually we saw the barns being closed as their usefulness and safety, in some aspects, just wore out,” Canadian Western Agribition President Bruce Holmquist said. “We had to get something new and improved.”
Holmquist says the condition of the previous facilities were causing some exhibitors to not return, but the new International Trade Centre is drawing them back to Agribition.
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“Facilities was one of the reasons we were losing (exhibitors),” Homquist said. “And now they’re coming back.”
The provincial and federal governments provided $22 million for the new facility, and the City of Regina funded $11 million. Another $3 million came from the Regina Hotel Association and Canadian Western Agribition funded $1 million.
Officials say the new facility will bring in major events of all types.
“Canadian Western Agribition will be the available first group to go in here, but this is much larger than agriculture, it is a multi-purpose facility,” Mayor Michael Fougere said. “But it gives us one of the biggest buildings in all of Canada for agricultural production, agricultural shows, all of those things; so we are very pleased.”
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