By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
The Sun Bowl Arena will continue to see high-level junior hockey as part of a new lease agreement with the Town of Osoyoos.
The agreement, proposed to Council by Director of Community Services Gerald Davis, follows a resolution passed by Council on February 24 to authorize the posting of a notice to lease the Arena.
The lease would be with LS Sports & Entertainment (LSSE), who operate the now-Junior “A” Osoyoos Coyotes franchise. The notice to lease the Arena was relayed through various public notices.
The new lease would see a per-game amount of $875 be charged to LSSE, on top of a $350 monthly fee to operate the Arena’s concession stands. Ice time granted to the Coyotes would be their scheduled games, as well as five days of practice ice, at 1.5 hours per day. The term for these parts of the lease would be five years in length.
The new lease agreement would see quite a few changes be tested or implemented for the Coyotes. LSSE would use the skate-sharpening room, which the Town has not offered as a service for years, as a “retail sale of goods” site, for team merchandise.
LSSE would also invest in a training area, including utilizing the mezzanine boardroom of the Sun Bowl Arena as the primary training room. LSSE would invest in the requisite sports equipment for such a space.
This upgrade would run for a trial period, and put to use sections of the Arena that are otherwise sparsely-used. Should LSSE decide not to continue beyond the trial period, a per-game fee reduction of $200 would be implemented.
Getting this lease completed now is of significance to the community, as the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) requires one to be in place by the end of March. It would also be a significant show of support for the Coyotes, who have provided hockey entertainment in Osoyoos for over two decades.
Councillor Jim King wanted some reassurance that LSSE is still on solid financial footing.
“Have you decided to do a background check on LS Sports to see if they’re financially viable to continue with the hockey games?” King asked of Davis.
“They (owners) actually created this business for the purpose of operating the team,” Davis said. “They do come from the people that we knew, and have talked about before; we’re quite confident they’d do a good job.”
Mayor Sue McKortoff asked about any feedback received from residents to the notice posted.
“Did we have any concerns, or people contacting you about it, asking for more information?” McKortoff said.
“There were a number of phone calls – I think when it got posted, people thought the arena was getting handed over to a third-party,” Davis replied. “That is not the case; it is just for (LSSE) to operate a junior hockey team.”
Council passed the motion unanimously, agreeing to the terms of the lease as presented.
