Saskatchewan stories of the year: Experience Regina makes international headlines

Article content The Leader Post is looking back on some of the stories that had the most impact on us this past year. Today: How Regina made international headlines after a tourism rebrand was deemed “sexist” and “gross.” It was mid March when Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) relaunched Tourism Regina as Experience Regina in a rebrand campaign that was mocked internationally for its sexual undertones.

The marketing tactic, which came with $30,000 price tag, played on the province’s capital sounding strikingly similar to vagina, using phrases such as “Show Us Your Regina,” “The City That Rhymes With Fun,” and “Do It In Regina.” Mayor Sandra Master called the campaign “sexist and wrong” following the campaign launch, which also prompted apologies from REAL president and CEO Tim Reid.

“I want to start by apologizing, on behalf of myself and our team, for the negative impact we created with elements of our recent brand launch,” Reid said in a statement posted on social media. REAL acquired control of the tourism portfolio in June 2022 after it was removed from Economic Development Regina’s mandate.

Public outcry led to an independent investigation into the campaign looking into the source of the catchphrases regarded by many as tasteless. The 114 page report written by independent consultant George Cuff suggested that no one should be terminated for what is referred to as “The Incident” throughout the report.

Work done by Cuff was capped at a cost of $90,000. “I could find no evidence that the board as a whole was ever involved in endorsing the slogans. I could find no evidence that council as a whole was endorsing the slogans,” said Cuff. According to the report, Cuff concluded that a staff member within the organization went “off script” “at the last moment” and sent out the controversial material that was not approved.

Cuff found that this happened “in large measure because of a lack of managerial oversight, loose procedures, inadequate policy guidance and unavailable senior staff.” Months after the report was published, REAL surrendered its responsibility of Tourism Regina to city administration, as recommended by the Cuff review.

Cuff indicated that REAL “must focus on the core business of the organization,” and that there is work to be done as the company recovers from the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic. City council voted unanimously to take over responsibility of Tourism Regina on Nov. 8 after REAL revealed its intention to surrender authority.

The submission was just the beginning of a weeks long cycle of REAL making headline after headline for its financial troubles and wavering future. Just a week after Tourism Regina was relinquished, city administration presented an independent report by MNP suggesting that REAL is not financially self sufficient.

The troubled organization currently has a $17 million debt and is being audited by the Canada Revenue Agency over a $7.5 million COVID incentive distributed by Ottawa in 2021. The presentation was followed by REAL’s 2024 budget request, where members of the board asked the city for five times more than it had in previous years, amounting to more than $5 million.

In one fell swoop, REAL’s board of directors were unexpectedly removed by city council on Nov. 22. Members of city administration were appointed as interim board members, with city manager Niki Anderson as chair. The decision created a rift between some city councillors. Bob Hawkins (Ward 2) openly spoke in support of REAL and was vehemently against council’s verdict, saying that removing current board members will create “chaos.” When city administrators were officially appointed at a special council meeting on Nov.

24, Coun. Jason Mancinelli (Ward 9), left before the vote was called, saying that he didn’t want his name tied to the decision. After being ousted by city council, former board chair Wayne Morsky spoke out in a two page letter defending his time with REAL, saying that the board has acted with the best interest of the property and the city at heart.

While acknowledging the board’s faults over the last year, he didn’t hesitate to allege misconduct done by city council. “All throughout, we maintained professionalism and a commitment to do better, even with council members interfering in lease negotiations with tenants and a continual ask for free tickets to events for themselves, friends, and family, and in one case a request for employment,” said Morsky.

No names were revealed in the emailed letter. First time councillor Terina Nelson (Ward 7) admitted to having a “casual” conversation with REAL CEO Tim Reid about getting “involved with some of the cool things that they’re doing,” but said it never amounted to asking for a job. The fate of REAL is still up in the air, even with the city keeping the entity on a tight leash.

City administration is to present a more detailed report containing options for the organizations future come summer 2024. AnAmato@Postmedia.com With some online platforms blocking access to the news upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up to the minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here so we can keep you informed.

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