SARNIA, ONT. -- The Sting are staying put in Sarnia, Ont. The junior hockey club and the city of Sarnia have reached a five-year lease agreement.
The year-long negotiations were finalized at council Monday night.
"Myself and Derian had a long-term vision here, I know a lot of people didn't think so but we love this city," says Sting co-owner David Legwand.
The partnership will also trigger significant building upgrades financed by ticket surcharges.
"When you pay for a ticket and there is a surcharge there that you expect it to go into that building, and that wasn't happening," says Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley.
The Sting agree transparency is important.
"This is important for us and our fans because they are the ones who are paying for that surcharge," says Gord Currie, chief financial officer of the Sting. " They have expectation that it will enhance the arena and fan experience."
The $600,000 in improvements will be split between the city and the Sting with help from minor hockey.
Some of the arena enhancements include upgrading dressing rooms to include facilities for women and gender neutral hockey players.
The team also plans to build a campus-like atmosphere under the rink which would bring their dressing room and weight room together.
The city has also given control of the suites back to the Sting.
"They are currently doing renovations to the flooring and painting the suites," adds Currie. "It gives us the ability to use our marketing team to sell suites going forward and it's really helping us."
Currie adds the more people these improvements help bring in, the more exciting the atmosphere. The money will also help bring the rink up to what the Sting call 'professional standards.'
"The scoreboard and upgrades is making the fan experience better," says Legwand. "The front office staff has done a good job with the in-game experience stuff and it's great because we want the kids to be excited."
This venue has hosted major acts over the years like Elton John, Bryan Adams and Jerry Seinfeld. Bradley is hoping the future investments will mean the return of that kind of entertainment.
"Sarnia loves entertainment. Bayfest was here for over a decade and brought some of the biggest acts in the world here. We'd like to get back to that on a modest scale and to make the building vibrant againt - not just for hockey."
Bradley called Monday a big night in the municipal world, adding this partnership helps get the building renewed without any cost to the taxpayer.
