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The Prince George Kodiaks are hoping to work the City of Prince George to fund upgrades their home stadium and practice facility in the Hart.
Kodiaks president Craig Briere said the junior football team led the league in attendance during its debut season in 2022. But the team only plays 10 games each season, with five home games, and needs more seating to “maximize revenue” from those games, he said.
“We need to look at expanding areas of Masich (Place Stadium),” Briere said. “(But) one of our biggest needs is a lit practice facility.”
The team leases a facility from the city in the Hart, but it lacks lighting for evening practices. In addition to the 100 members of the junior football team, ages 18 to 22, the Kodiaks have roughly 500 development players as young as five-years-old.
The team practiced at Masich Place Stadium last year, but the stadium is busy and well-used by multiple user groups, Briere said. Because the majority of the players have work and/or school commitments during the day, they are limited to practicing in the evening.
“Our intent would not be to have something built for us for free,” Briere said.
He said he’d hope to see improvements made to both facilities as leasehold capital improvements, which would be repaid by the team over a period of years for a “net zero cost to the city.”
City council approved a motion by Coun. Kyle Sampson to direct city staff to consult with the team, and bring back a report to city council on the proposed improvements and options to fund them.
Sampson said he was glad the team was “not asking for a handout, but a hand up.”
