As was reported in the Edmonton Sun last week by Jasmine Franklin, the Edmonton Valley Zoo is extending its partnership opportunities. The city’s community services committee will be approached with the concept of selling name rights to businesses for new facilities and elements inside the Valley Zoo. This is not new for the City of Edmonton as Gary Dewar and his team have been extremely successful to date in developing customized sponsorship programs for corporate sponsors over the past few years while working with the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists™.
The concept is expected to pull in significant revenue for the zoo. Ultimately, the sponsorship money would offset construction costs and development of the new facilities as well as maintain admission prices. Most people seem to support the idea, under one condition — the name “Edmonton Valley Zoo” does not change.
“We are not wanting to sell the name of the zoo itself,” said Gary Dewar, supervisor of sales and sponsorship with the Community Services department. “We are more comfortable with elements of the zoo.”
Dewar used the recently built Terwillegar Rec Centre as an example. The facility’s name itself remained unchanged; however, with city council’s approval to sell naming rights to components inside the centre, there is now a Subway arena and Realty Executive Flexi-Hall. “People understand this is an important source of revenue for these facilities,” said Dewar.
The Valley Zoo is currently undergoing a construction that will see additional facilities open as soon as next year. Ideally, if committee and city council approve the concept, sponsorships could be in place in time for the opening of those new facilities.
“(People) are not really keen on the idea of renaming existing facilities,” said Dewar. He said sponsorship businesses will be chosen carefully in order to ensure they are “integrated with the facility design.”
“The way the wording (of the facility) is treated — you won’t see big corporate logos all over the place, just embedded into the name to make sense,” said Dewar.
If the committee and city council approve the concept today, the city can begin consulting with candidate businesses. Gary and his team will undertake discovery sessions and profile development that has been so successful to date through the mentoring by the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists™. Should a potential deal come to the table, it must be brought to city council to vote on for approval.
Dewar said in the event the committee rejects the concept, other sponsorship opportunities could be an option. This includes selling naming rights for special events, activities or programs at the Valley Zoo as well as regular fundraising in partnership with the Valley Zoo Development Society.