Georgina considers corporate sponsorship strategy for rec facilities

Municipality should have its ‘house in order’ prior to exploring MURC opportunities: report

Yorkregion.com
September 27, 2018
Heidi Riedner

The town may set aside $100,000 next year for a corporate sponsorship strategy.

Council agreed to add the six-figure strategy to 2019 budget conversations in January after a request was floated from the recreation department at council Sept. 19.

The town should have its "house in order" prior to exploring opportunities for the Multi-Use Recreational Complex (MURC), according to the report tabled.

As a result, third-party expertise to establish, execute and ultimately sustain an effective corporate sponsorship strategy is required, the report states.

A naming opportunity for the MURC, as well as numerous other recreational facilities throughout town, may be secured at $100,000, which is then payable over five years at $20,000 per year, according to the recommendations.

Larger sponsorships would be payable in equal installments over three to 10 years.

Any investment that council would make in such a strategy would be recovered through sponsorship revenues over time, recreation manager Patti White explained.

While the town has existing assets that could be ideal candidates for naming opportunities, it would be prudent to commence having a framework in place sooner rather than later now that the pre-construction phase of the MURC is underway, White added.