Exhibition CEO touts new facility at SACPA

By Justin Sibbet - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on June 2, 2023.

Herald photo by Al Beeber The site of the new Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre is still a hub of activity as the facility nears readiness for opening. Lethbridge and District Exhibition CEO Mike Warkentin spoke to SACPA on Thursday about the new facility.

Following over 20 years of planning and tens of millions of dollars spent, the Lethbridge and District Exhibition’s all new Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre is set to officially open at the end of this month.

The Agri-Food Hub, located near Henderson Lake on the Exhibition grounds, is an all-new, state-of-the-art facility that features 280,000 square feet of space for events, shows and much more.

During an event hosted by the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) on Thursday, Lethbridge and District Exhibition CEO, Mike Warkentin, spoke about the opening of the new facility and the implications it will have on Lethbridge.

The plan, according to Warkentin, is to use the space for major events up to and including international agricultural shows.

Other pre-existing events, such as Whoop-Up days, will also benefit from the new centre, according to Warkentin.

Furthermore, he says the facility is also the most up-to-date and sophisticated location for many entertainment events that are currently unable to perform in Lethbridge.

He says this could bring new performances to their 7,000-capacity event location.

“There’s no intent to compete with the Yates or the ENMAX Centre, however, we do have capability in our building to do so,” said Warkentin.

He says the centre is also expected to generate at least $90 million annually, with that number being rather conservative.

“This building is meant to be an economic driver, not just for the agriculture sector, but for Lethbridge as a whole,” said Warkentin.

With the total cost of the building coming in at just over $75 million, he says this investment is far reaching and significantly beneficial for the community.

“The broader impact that it will have on Lethbridge and the region, in terms of driving investment and driving more people here, can’t be overstated,” said Warkentin.

However, some people are concerned about the new costs associated with renting out a space at the new facility, compared to the older pavilion on the exhibition grounds.

One individual, Mike Yakubowski, says he has been renting space from the Lethbridge and District Exhibition for years, but his organization – Southern Alberta Antique and Classic Auto Club – may need to find a new meeting place due to the rising costs.

“Every year, I’ve got records since ’17, and every year it’s been going up and up and up,” said Yakubowski.

However, he is mostly concerned with the increase in price going into the new facility, saying it has gone up over 400 per cent.

He says the price to rent a similar space to what he used to rent has gone from $450 to $1,950.

Furthermore, he says the price to rent a plastic table has gone from $3.85 up to $10.50, a sharp increase.

“I don’t understand where they’re coming from with $10.50 for these tables,” said Yakubowski.

With his frustration evident, he says his club was meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss where they will hold their next event, as the Exhibition grounds may no longer be practical.

However, Warkentin says, although the prices have gone up, there is a legitimate reason for this.

“We did have to become more competitive in terms of pricing with western Canadian venues,” said Warkentin.

He says the fact that his organization has traditionally undervalued themselves, coupled with the cost of the new facility, has led them to raise prices.

As well, Warkentin says this facility is simply not the same as before, with new amenities available, which can drive up the cost.

“It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison,” said Warkentin.

He added that his organization is holding themselves to a higher standard as well, to help justify the price increase.

“The expectation and delivery and what our clients expect from us as an organization should be higher going into that building,” said Warkentin. “And it will be and with that, there’s a different price tag.”

While it is uncommon to hear someone express a desire to pay more, it is common to hear people upset when it comes to paid parking.

As a result, Warkentin has assured people that there will not be paid parking at the new centre for at least a few years, minimum.

“In the immediate future and when this building opens and for community-focused things, we won’t charge for parking,” said Warkentin.

This statement was followed by a round of applause by those in attendance during the SACPA meeting.