Whitby Council stated that it has directed town staff to seek naming rights for the new Whitby Sports Complex and other facilities — including Iroquois Park Sports Centre.
Staff are to report back to council for approval. However, no timeline was mentioned.
A sponsorship and advertising asset study was recently completed and a new staff report outlines the recommendations. The study notes the top priority should be maintaining a strong focus on marketing and selling naming rights for both new and existing high-traffic municipal capital assets, with emphasis on the new Whitby Sports Complex.
Naming rights are one of the most lucrative opportunities for municipalities to capitalize on sustained revenue. Local examples include Oshawa’s Delpark Homes Centre, which was named in 2018 for $1.5 million for a 10-year term, and Pickering’s Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex, which was named in 2019 for $1.125 million for a 15-year term, the statement pointed out.