Billionaire Shaun Semple’s bid to purchase large portions of Regina’s REAL District Campus has cleared a major hurdle, as the city’s executive committee has approved the plan.

The proposed $6.5 million deal will be debated and voted on by city council on May 6.

The approval was passed onto city council by a vote of 7 to 4.

Mayor Bachynski, and councillors Rashovich, Bezo, Burton, Turnbull, Tsiklis and Mancinelli voted in favour.

The day consisted of several delegations voicing their support for the REAL – Brandt proposal.

Harvard Developments President and CEO Roseann Hill Blaisdell was the first delegate to voice their support.

“As Reginans, we need to recognize that we need to take immediate action before our REAL District disintegrates, further repelling conventions, conferences, concerts, tournaments because of its condition and poor associated amenities,” she said.

Former Mayor Pat Fiacco also voiced his support.

“As the former mayor, it’s common for people to ask me what I think of this and that and I try not to give my opinion since I am no longer in your chair. But this one matters to the citizens of Regina,” he said.

“We have the Grey Cup coming up as Councillor Turnbull alluded to and REAL is going to be the hub for that along with our downtown. We’re going to hear from the Regina Hotels Association who are all about heads on beds. There is a real spin-off to our community.”

Patrick Book, Regina resident and former city hall reporter and city employee, was the lone voice of concern in regard to the proposal.

“As one of the only delegations not offering an unequivocal endorsement, I feel like a bit of a hen in a fox house right now,” he said.

Book was also concerned about the terms of the deal between the city and Brandt.

“Brandt won’t pay property taxes, and if they have to, they want the city to give that right back as a grant. They won’t pay to use Confederation Park. Brandt doesn’t want the city added surcharges or taxes on events they are hosting,” he said.

“This is not just a transaction, it’s not just a land deal, and it’s not only an operational transition,” argued Brandt CEO Shaun Semple as he made his case for the proposal. “I believe we do have the ability do deliver on this deal, as far as facility upgrades, we build all around the world and all over the country. As far as sports and entertainment we look to the best in the world at it and who we can bring on.”

“So, Mike Ravenhill of the David Foster Foundation and James Fairorth of TAIT. TAIT is the largest entertainment production company in the world. We’re still going to have a small stadium, we are going to need the relationships to get the concerts here, we are going to need relationships to get them to come and play at Mosaic.”

Ward 8 Coun. Shannon Zachidniak posed an amendment to the proposal that involved a third-party review and consideration of questions from the public to council.

That amendment was voted down by a vote of 7 to 4.

Mayor Chad Bachynski offered his comments on the day, saying he voted yes because “a private investment gets the REAL District to where we want it to be much quicker than the status quo.”

In terms of public trust in this proposal, Bachynski added, “There’s risk involved in any deal, but we’ve weighed the pros and cons. When I think about the events that are going on in the facilities at the REAL District, those events will go away if we can’t upkeep those buildings. And allowing a private investor to step in allows those events to keep taking place.”

The proposed $6.5 million deal was made public late last week.

Our live coverage of the proceedings can be found below.

4:54 PM – Zachidniak proposes amendment

Ward 8 Coun. Shannon Zachidniak poses an amendment to the REAL – Brandt proposal. She proposes that city council tables the report to a meeting to be held no later than June 10, 2026.

The amendment would secure an independent third party to conduct a review of the public interest outcomes associated with the proposal.

The amendment would also require city council to collect questions submitted to members of the council from the public respecting the proposal.

Additionally, a supplemental report would be submitted later than June 10, 2026, that includes the compiled questions and responses received from the public by members of the council, and the results of the independent third-party review.

The amendment was voted down by a vote of 7 to 4.

Councillors Froh, Radons, Flores and Zachidniak were the four in favour of the amendment.

4:00 PM - City has ‘won the lottery’ with Brandt deal, Semple argues

Semple also implored the committee to avoid delaying its decision on moving forward with the proposal, saying it’s too good an opportunity to pass up.

“This is like winning the lottery. So, if you won the lottery would you be like, ‘Hold on don’t give me that money, I want to check it out first to see whether or not it’s any good,’” he said.

“This is the only ever deal that I have seen anywhere where a private citizen is trying to give you money and take over your bad assets. Normally it’s the other way around.”

Semple said the proposal came “out of desperation,” telling the committee he is tired of being the tenant in the Brandt Centre while being denied concession fees, sponsorships and naming rights.

“I don’t get all the other things that every other team in the league gets,” Semple said. “So this is going to allow me to put a completely different spin on how we market the venue and there’ll be benefits for guests that they don’t have today.”

3:06 PM - Semple vows to create Regina’s own stampede, among other promises

Shaun Semple appeared before Regina’s executive committee Wednesday afternoon, outlining his vision for a REAL District under the umbrella of the Brandt group of companies.

“What’s in front of you is not just a transaction. It’s not just a land deal, and it’s not simply an operational transition,” Semple said in his opening remarks.

“This decision is about the future of the Brandt Centre and related buildings in the park and it’s about whether we’re prepared as a city, to move forward with confidence with investment and really with a clear vision to the future.”

Responding to a question from Ward 4 Coun. Mark Burton, Semple explained how he aims to deliver on his promises of making Regina a destination venue - highlighting his connections to James “Winky” Fairorth, the president and CEO of TAIT, a large supplier of touring equipment and venues.

“Regina gets skipped over. We’re still going to have a small stadium. We’re going to need relationships to get concerts here,” Semple said in his response.

“We’re going to need relationships to get them to come play in Mosaic. We’re not professing to be experts, but this is a relationship business, and we’ve started some of that.”

Semple admitted the difficulty of the endeavor, vowing to put the full force of his company behind the effort.

“This is a very tough business. Okay, this is a business that REAL has never – I went back in all the annual reports that I could find, they’ve never made money in it. It’s that tough, he said. “I don’t go into this with any false expectations, it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to throw everything that Brandt has to really make a go of it.”

Semple also said that Brandt has big plans for the future of Canadian Western Agribition,

“We are one of the largest sponsors of the Calgary Stampede and we want to bring a stampede to Regina and help Agribition do that, that’s my goal, how do we make it bigger?

2:24 PM – REAL board members speak to executive committee

Jaime Boldt, chair of the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) Board of Directors, spoke on behalf of the organization at the centre of Brandt’s proposal.

Boldt spoke about the board’s efforts in stewarding REAL following years of financial hardships and organizational issues.

“In a relatively short period of time, REAL has become more stable. Governance practices have strengthened, and there has been a renewed focus on financial discipline, transparency and operational performance,” she said.

Responding to a question from Mayor Chad Bachynski, Boldt outlined the importance of an asset like the REAL District and the need for growth and improvement.

“It’s the sport and entertainment district in our city. For the community, the soccer, ringette, volleyball, and the pickleball that’s going on there,” she said. “There are so many things going on. When we look at large infrastructure projects across the country, we look at having multi-use facilities, where you come for one thing, and you can do many things. So having a vibrant sports and entertainment district is really awesome for our city.”

Boldt said the REAL board is “excited” about the organization’s future.

“The foundation has been strengthened. Belief has been returned, and we are committed to stewarding this organization responsibly into whatever comes next,” she said. “We are excited about what REAL can be, and about seeing the potential realized in the years ahead.”

1:33 PM – Citizen questions proposal

Former journalist and City of Regina employee Patrick Book was the first delegate to raise any questions or concerns about the proposal.

“I’m a simple taxpayer and I’ve a raised a few dozen questions about this proposal that I feel would help people like me achieve greater clarity,” he said.

“As one of the only delegations not offering an unequivocal endorsement, I feel like a bit of a hen in a fox house right now,” he added.

Book said that he by no means wants the REAL District to fail and fall into disrepair, but he is confused about the finer details of the proposal and feels that many other citizens in Regina feel the same way.

He is also concerned about the terms of the deal between the City and Brandt.

“Brandt won’t pay property taxes, and if they have to, they want the city to give that right back as a grant. They won’t pay to use Confederation Park. Brandt doesn’t want the city added surcharges or taxes on events they are hosting,” he said.

“Why can a company that has the resources to claim the largest public investment in the city’s history apparently only make that work if they don’t have to pay property taxes like everyone else?”

1:10 p.m. – Committee reconvenes with more support lobbied for proposal

After a lunch recess, Shantel Lipp, president of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association, voiced her support for the REAL-Brandt proposal.

“From our industry’s perspective, the opportunity here is real. Cities across Canada are competing for major events, conferences, trade shows and industry gatherings that drive hotel occupancy, restaurant activity and a broader economic impact,” she said.

“But to compete, you need facilities that are well managed, well invested and able to respond quickly to opportunities.”