By Matthew Gourlie /

The Moose Jaw Warriors have vowed, ‘we’re here to stay’ on their promotional materials this past season.

The citizens of Moose Jaw showed they wanted their Western Hockey League franchise to stay when they re-affirmed the City of Moose Jaw’s commitment of an estimated $34.5 million toward a new multiplex facility in a referendum.

The multiplex will include a new arena for the Warriors. It is expected to have a capacity of 4,500 with an aim to open in time for the 2011/12 season.

“It ensures long-term stability for this organization here in the city of Moose Jaw,” said Warriors GM Chad Lang. “It was pretty crystal clear that if we couldn’t provide a facility of standard, the Western Hockey League would have had to look at alternative locations for this organization.

“The league is really happy to keep this organization in this community.”

A petition was circulated and received 4,280 signatures to force a referendum question on the tax increase, which will fund the facility in part. A referendum was previously held in 2006 where 71 per cent of voters were in favour of a facility.

However, when the details became more concrete, the downtown location was selected and the cost for the project continued to rise, opponents started a petition to force a 
second referendum.

The referendum vote passed with a 60 per cent majority: 7,626 for the resolution and 5,099 against.

The drawn-out process has been a frustrating time for Lang and the franchise.

“I think the frustrating part overall was that every time we felt we were moving forward, we had to jump another hurdle,” said Lang.

“Anytime there is that uncertainty around an organization, it affects you in a number of ways – not only the ability to attract staff, but to also recruit players.”

The facility will be located a block west of Main Street in the downtown core. It will also include a new curling rink and an indoor soccer facility at another location. The total cost of the project is $61.3 million.

The Warriors are hoping their new digs will help them recruit players and provide top-end amenities for their players.

“There’s no question that the players are excited to move over into a state-of-the-art facility and have all of those features that they witness in other team’s buildings,” said Lang.

The Moose Jaw Civic Centre opened in the 1959. It’s unique concave roof design made broadcasting games from the Crushed Can, or expanding the building, untenable.

The contract tendering process will take place in April and, if all goes quickly, the City hopes to have a shovel in the ground by May.