The Family Leisure Centre will be rebranded as the Big Marble Go Centre in a naming rights deal, the city has announced.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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Medicine Hat’s Family Leisure Centre will be rebranded the “Big Marble Go Centre” as part of a naming rights deal approved in principle at Monday night’s council meeting.
Terms of the deal, which are still to be finalized, were not disclosed including financial implications or the potential length of the term.
Council members hailed the deal as a sign of a strong partnership with a good local company in the region, while officials with the greenhouse said the centre was the right fit for them.
“When you look at the facility it embodies all the same qualities that we embrace as a brand – family, community, lifestyle, active living – it’s a perfect fit,” said Ryan Cramer, president of the vegetable grower that recently expanded its own facilities near Highway 3 and the city limits, and also took over marketing responsibilities for Redhat Co-op.
Talks have been ongoing for about a year, said Cramer, who told council the name came to Cramer when he was trying to get his kids in the car for swim lessons at the centre.
“C’mon, we gotta go, go go,” he recalled.
Coun. Robert Dumanowski says the name may take some getting used to but the change is positive and represents an investment in city operations.
“It really embodies everything the community wants to see,” he said.
The deal was announced by Josie Doll, corporate partnership co-ordinator with the city, and council unanimously directed the public services division and city solicitor to finalize a tentative agreement.
In 2017 the city began more actively seeking corporate naming sponsorship deals from its major facilities. That including the naming of the fitness facility within the FLC, to be branded by South Country Co-op.
In late 2020, South Country also secured naming rights for the city’s large spectator arena to become “Co-op Place” after an initial five-year deal with Canalta Hotels expired.
