FAQs

The SEC initiative is being explored with the purpose of elevating Brantford as a sports and entertainment hub, fostering economic growth, revitalizing the city centre, and attracting world-class entertainment and sports events options for Brantford residents and visitors. Anticipating the new venue will also serve as a longterm residency for the Brantford Bulldogs, the City estimates an annual economic impact of approximately $4.5 million from the Bulldogs partnership, including visiting team stays and fan spending at local businesses. A modern new facility of this nature will help meet the needs to accommodate sports, cultural and entertainment programming. A new centre would attract regional events, support local teams and talent, and stimulate economic activity, benefiting restaurants and businesses. 

Furthermore, the centre would be designed to be multi-purpose, capable of hosting sports tournaments, concerts, trade shows, cultural events, community celebrations, and more. The goal is to create a space that serves residents year-round. 

Public input is being gathered in two key phases. The first took place in December 2023, when the City conducted a community consultation to collect residents’ visions for a new Sports and Entertainment Centre, including preferred amenities and potential uses. That input helped shape the current concept designs.

We are now in the second phase of engagement, where residents can review those design concepts and provide feedback through an online survey and three in-person Open Houses .

All feedback from this stage will be summarized and reported to City Council before they make a final decision on whether to advance the project. 

The process involved a meticulous assessment led by Sports Marketing Consultant, KKR Advisors Ltd. and City Council. Initially, ten potential sites were evaluated, leading to a shortlist of three. Based on rankings of sites measured against detailed criteria including potential economic impact and overall feasibility, ultimately, the site at 79 Market Street, adjacent to the existing Civic Centre, emerged as the recommended location. Following a thorough evaluation process and input from various stakeholders, the Civic Centre site at 79 Market Street is strongly recommended as the optimal location for the SEC.

The site was selected based on ranking first in several assessment categories, including its alignment with Council priorities, potential economic impact, city building potential, and overall feasibility. The site adjacent to the Civic Centre Site ranked highest in all categories except Parking (where it ranked second) and Ease of Development (where it ranked third).

The ongoing partnership with the Brantford Bulldogs is projected to generate an annual economic impact of approximately $4.5 million, including revenue from visiting team stays and fan spending at local businesses. Additionally, this partnership is expected to significantly enhance the city's reputation as a sports-friendly destination, fostering increased activity and vibrancy, particularly in the downtown area. This boost in reputation is anticipated to attract future investments, further contributing to the city's economic growth. Moreover, the establishment of the SEC is envisioned to instill civic pride and confidence within the community, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement. The project is also expected to create construction jobs, long-term facility employment, and new tourism opportunities for the community.

The City remains committed to advancing vital housing and healthcare goals while also pursuing projects that enhance recreation, economic development, and overall quality of life. 

Through the Brantford/Brant Affordable Housing Plan, the City has committed to building 506 social housing units over ten years. Five years into that plan, more than 50% of the target has been completed, and in that time, the Affordable Housing Waitlist has decreased by 600. 

At the same time, the City continues to support the Province and the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) in planning for a new hospital and has proactively established a Hospital Redevelopment Reserve Fund to ensure the City of Brantford can contribute its share of costs. The delivery and regulation of healthcare fall under provincial jurisdiction, not municipal authority, but the City remains a committed partner in local planning efforts. These initiatives will continue regardless of what is decided about the Sports and Entertainment Centre.

Ultimately, the City's simultaneous focus on recreation, economic development, housing and healthcare underscores our commitment to fostering a thriving community by addressing the many diverse needs required to make Brantford a successful and livable city.

The Sports and Entertainment Centre project is currently in Phase 2 of a three-phase process. In Phase 1, the City conducted a visioning campaign in December 2023 to gather community priorities and expectations for the facility. Building on that input, Phase 2 focuses on the development and review of concept designs prepared with guidance from consultants and shaped by resident feedback. These concept designs are now available for public review through both an online survey featured here, and in-person Open Houses as outlined on this page. The final phase, Phase 3, will bring the findings from this engagement, along with updated cost estimates, financing options, and partnership opportunities, to City Council for consideration.

The next step in the project is for residents to provide their feedback on the concept designs through the survey featured on this page and at the three Open Houses scheduled in October 2025. Following this engagement, staff will compile the results, assess financing and partnership options, and prepare a comprehensive report for Council. This Phase 3 report to Council, will summarize the consultation findings and outline recommendations on whether the City should move forward with developing the Sports and Entertainment Centre. If Council approves, the project will proceed to the next development stage.