A government -sponsored concept study is recommending a domed stadium to replace Regina's Mosaic Stadium, home to the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The cost of such a facility is estimated at $350 million, says the $70,000 report that was released early Monday.
The concept review was ordered by the Saskatchewan government to look at options for the aging home of the Roughriders. The study also considered a number of less expensive options.
The least-expensive option is to undertake minor repairs to the open-air facility, at a cost of between $1 million and $6 million.
Bill Shupe of W. Shupe & Co., one of the consultants who authored the study, said it makes sense to have a facility that can be used year-round.
"Having a facility you can use 12 months of the year, that can generate much more economic impact, have a much far-reaching impact across Regina and across Saskatchewan; we just felt it was the more viable option to look at."
Study will take place
The province, city, and the Roughriders have now ordered a $1-million feasibility study on construction of a domed stadium.
That study is due in January.
The Saskatchewan Party government of Premier Brad Wall has said a new stadium is not a top priority and that any new facility would require significant private-sector involvement.
Saskatchewan Crown Corporation Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said Monday that no commitments have been made beyond the study.
"In January 2010, we'll have all the information in front of us," he said. "All the partners will sit down, we'll look at it and in light of the means of the province and the federal government, we'll make decisions on that basis. And at that point or some point thereafter we'll encourage the involvement of the private sector as well."
Cheveldayoff said if the stadium is built no money will come from the province's general revenue fund. He said there are other ways to fund the project.
"There's options. We have the corporations, we have the gaming corporation.… But again, it's much too early to speculate on how that's going to be looked at. First we have to know what the cost is, then we have to know what partners are involved."
