City Manager Says New Deal With The Warriors Is Close

“The new contract (between the City and Moose Jaw Warriors) is not signed yet,” city manager Maryse Carmichael said in response to a MJ Independent question during the post Council media scrum.

The question was what is the rationale surrounding the rent reduction to the Moose Jaw Warriors?

Jason Antonio with the Moose Jaw Express said the newspaper had received concerns from people the Warriors rent would be reduced by 95 percent of what they would have to pay. Antonio asked if it was true.

“I can confirm it is not signed yet,” Carmichael said in response, adding “once it’s signed for sure you’ll know. We’re working on it. But the new agreement hasn’t been completed.”

MJ Independent asked about the City’s rationale in the negotiations after a December 21st Freedom of Information (FOI) request was denied. See the exact reasons below.

Response to the December 21, 2023 FOI request

The denial was largely based upon business and negotiation reasons.

Carmichael said the City had used external consultants for the negotiations with the Warriors.

“The only thing I can tell you is I’ve used some external consultants that know the event management business. That know the interaction between cities and WHL teams. So they came and helped us negotiate with the Warriors,” she said.

Carmichael said she was hopeful to have news soon on the agreement.

“I think we’re getting really close to an agreement with them.”

Pressed on a date when to expect an agreement she said “I’m really hoping in the next month or two.”

When asked about how the negotiations have been continually put off she said “that was my priority when I started as city manager to as one item to solve as quickly as I could. It’s taken a little longer but I’m quite pleased with the collaboration we’ve had with the Warriors.”

There is a potential indication which way the negotiations between the City and Warriors were progressing according to the 2024 budget documents for the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

Those documents point out they include a potential rent reduction to the Events Centre major tenant.

Those documents identify the major tenant as the Moose Jaw Warriors.