6.

RE/MAX Field Update

Recommendation
That the April 10, 2019, Citizen Services report CR_6932, be received for
information.

Executive Summary
The City of Edmonton’s four-year agreement with the Edmonton Prospects concludes
after the 2019 baseball season and will not be renewed for an optional fifth year. The
City of Edmonton will issue a request for submissions in April 2019 to secure an
operator for the next 10 years. The terms of any potential operating agreement will
ensure flexibility should City Council wish to pursue other options in the future.

Report
RE/MAX Field ballpark is currently operated by the Edmonton Prospects, a member of
the Western Canadian Baseball League. The four-year license agreement that the City
has with the Edmonton Prospects concludes after the 2019 baseball season and will
not be renewed for the optional fifth year.

The Edmonton Prospects have been playing at the ballpark since 2013 and report an
average of approximately 1,600 spectators per game. The Edmonton Prospects have
indicated that they wish to continue to operate and play out of the ballpark; however,
there have been ongoing challenges with the group’s ability to fulfill the terms of the
licence agreement.

The City has received unsolicited inquiries from other individuals and organizations
interested in operating the ballpark.

To provide a fair and transparent opportunity for all interested parties, Administration
plans to issue a non-contract request for submissions to seek a proponent to operate
and maintain RE/MAX Field for a period of 10 years. Key criteria that will be
considered include but are not limited to:
● Business plan
○ Organization capacity, financial viability (revenue streams and operating
costs), programming and activation plan (year-round), and marketing
plan
● Experience operating a stadium or other major facility
● Level of baseball

ROUTING - Community and Public Services Committee | DELEGATION - R. Smyth / R. Jevne

April 10, 2019 – Citizen Services CR_6932
Page 1 of 3
 RE/MAX Field Update

● Commitment to community access

● Facility upgrades
● Transportation and parking plan

Determining the successful proponent in 2019 is important to allow enough time to

prepare for the 2020 baseball season.

The interim retention of RE/MAX Field is in alignment with the draft River Crossing
Business Plan. The business plan is tentatively scheduled to be presented to Urban
Planning Committee in the third quarter of 2019, and will outline a preferred land use
concept for the West Rossdale area and supporting implementation approach. Work to
date on the business case and the land use concept contemplates RE/MAX Field
being removed over the longer term due to a number of challenges related to ongoing
operating and maintenance costs with uncertain offsetting revenues and inadequate
parking. However, at this time, RE/MAX Field is not expected to be required to meet
market demand from either a city-wide or a West Rossdale perspective. A significant
supply of developable land currently exists in various City-led redevelopment projects,
around a number of transit-oriented development sites and in West Rossdale. Under
the proposed phasing plan, RE/MAX Field may be redeveloped in the final stages as
lands in West Rossdale are absorbed and surface parking for RE/MAX Field is
removed. Depending on the timing of planning and funding approvals and the
upgrading of services, and market conditions, RE/MAX Field may not be considered
for development for up to 10 years or more. The terms of any potential operating
agreement will ensure flexibility should City Council wish to pursue other options for
this site.

The future of RE/MAX Field was reviewed as part of the engagement for the River
Crossing project. Overall the engagement outcomes support the interim retention of
the RE/MAX Field for baseball and other uses:
● At River Crossing public workshop meetings, which have mostly been attended
by Rossdale and Downtown residents, there has been strong support for the
interim retention of RE/MAX Field and its year-round activation.
● Engagement with the Indigenous community was consistent in favouring the
retention of the ballpark for cultural activities such as pow-wows and treaty
celebrations in addition to sports related uses.
● In the November 2018 Insight Community Mixed Topic Survey, participants
responded to the importance of retaining RE/MAX Field as follows:
○ 37.2 percent - very / somewhat important
○ 32.6 percent - neutral
○ 30.1 percent - somewhat / not important at all

Page 2 of 3 Report: CR_6932

 RE/MAX Field Update

Corporate Outcomes and Performance Management

Corporate Outcome:​ Edmontonians use facilities and services that promote healthy living

Outcomes Measures Results Targets

Spectator utilization of RE/MAX Field Average attendance To be determined (following the Increase attendance
during baseball games is maximized per game at RE/MAX first season with primary year over year
Field for primary operator)
operator

Community groups have access to Number of events at To be determined (following the Maintain or increase
RE/MAX Field RE/MAX Field for first season with primary year over year
community groups operator)

Others Reviewing this Report

● C. Owen, Deputy City Manager, Communications and Engagement
● S. McCabe, Deputy City Manager, Urban Form and Corporate Strategic
Development
● R. Kits, Acting Deputy City Manager, Financial and Corporate Services
● B. Andriachuk, City Solicitor

Page 3 of 3 Report: CR_6932