The sports arena in Barrie's south end, which is home to the OHL's Barrie Colts, needs a new name.
It was long-called the Barrie Molson Centre, but Molson Coors Canada served city council and the team with a cease and desist letter forcing the centre to find a new identity after the naming agreement ended in 2018.
The multi-purpose arena, located on Bayview Drive near Park Place, has been known as the Barrie Molson Centre since it opened 24 years ago.
CampMart, which calls itself Ontario's largest RV superstore, is interested in buying the naming rights, offering $1.6 million or $165,000 a year for 10 years.
The new name would become CampMart Centre.
In a statement today, the RV dealership group said that on top of the marketing opportunity, it's also interested in the community aspect of a partnership. "Partnering with the City of Barrie is yet another opportunity for CampMart to embed itself in the community and create a positive impact."
Paul Sadlon Motors also offered to purchase the naming rights of the arena for $2 million for 25 years, calling it the Sadlon Centre.
Council, instead, voted to hire a consultant to make recommendations on how best to proceed.
"The range for the naming would probably cost anywhere between $125 to $140-thousand," said Barrie Councillor Natalie Harris. "CampMart came forward with $165,000 a year, so that's a great offer."
But Councillor Sergio Morales said it's not all about the money.
"You don't want to leave money that you had the ability to get, but at the same time you want to have the right name, the right fit for the community."
Paul Sadlon told CTV News on Friday that as far as he knows, his deal is still on the table. He's just waiting for the city to decide.
Councillors will vote at the general meeting on Monday whether or not accept the CampMart deal. If approved, it will go to a second vote at city council the following week.
If councillors turn it down, the city will continue to look for a new partnership.
