The company working to create a huge wholesale exhibition centre near Dundurn will enjoy some official clout this weekend during a trip to China with the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) and Mayor Don Atchison.
Atchison will be a diplomat, representing his office in face-to-face meetings with the mayors of cities where Brightenview Development International Inc. is wooing manufacturing companies to join its planned wholesale buying centre at Dundurn, Atchison's communications officer, Richard Brown, said Thursday.
"SREDA has asked him to take that diplomatic role on this mission, to reinforce the relationships, to be a supporter of the businesses that are on this mission and to basically court Chinese businesses to tell them Saskatoon's success story," Brown said.
In China, mayors have a higher profile than premiers of provinces, and Atchison's presence added importance to SREDA's trip to China in April, Brown said.
"When the mayor would speak about the community, it gave us a level of gravitas that you couldn't find when a business person speaks about that community," Brown said.
While Atchison has not officially endorsed Brightenview, he will do his part to help smooth the road for business here, Brown said.
Dundurn Mayor Doug Narraway and Reeve Fred Wilson of the Rural Municipality of Dundurn will also join the mission, as will Blair Knippel of Deloitte and representatives of two local resource development companies.
SREDA president Tim LeClair was skeptical four months ago about the prospects of the Dundurn International Exhibition Centre, but he said the more he learns about the plan, the more he warms to it.
"I really do like the model," he said.
The exhibition centre, which is expected to break ground in late fall, aims to provide showrooms and business space for 350 Chinese manufacturing companies to bring home building and decorating materials to North American wholesale buyers.
Much larger versions of such exhibition centres thrive in China, but this would be the first one in Canada.
Brightenview's plan fits nicely in SREDA's effort to encourage business between China and the Saskatoon region, he said. The company has attracted the interest of some Chinese businesses and is continuing to meet with them to find the best fit, said Nystrom, vice president of public and government relations with Brightenview and a former Member of Parliament for Regina-Qu'Appelle.
A different Saskatchewan company, however, will be the initial focus of SREDA's trip, LeClair said.
Gensource Potash, a junior mining company, and Gensource Capital, are planning a major announcement on July 9.
badam@thestarphoenix.com
Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F280/~3/Pi1u5aHGEqY/story.html
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