King council hands are tied when it comes to naming rights of the new Schomberg Arena and King Township Curling Fitness Centre.

Tempers rose last Monday night as some councillors clashed over how the previous council sold the naming rights to Trisan Construction for $300,000, approving the name for the new facility as The Trisan Centre.

Though in the end council decided to go along as planned.

The decision was made in closed session.

The previous council approved the matter in September, when CAO Scott Somerville, Township Solicitor Jeff Feehely and Parks, Recreation and Culture Director Catherine Purcell were directed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Trisan Construction for the naming rights

The issue was first brought to light in the summer, when Expressions of Interest (EOI) were advertised extensively, including on the Township’s Web site, in June, until July 2.

There were 44 interested parties picking up the EOI, but only one submission by Trisan was received and opened by the Clerk July 2.

Council at the time authorized staff to negotiate the naming rights of the facility with Trisan for approval by council.

As well, all proceeds from the $300,000 are to go to offsetting a portion of the Township’s project costs.

According to the staff report, the naming rights include that the

Trisan Centre name be put in place for 25 years, with the exclusive right to negotiate renewal, from Jan. 17, 2011 until Dec 31, 2026.

For facility signage, there will be a driveway pylon sign and building sign located at north end of the facility.

Facility signage and upcoming marketing programs will begin under the name Trisan Centre. The facility and project will continue under the approved new name of The Trisan Centre.

Not all the councillors were happy with these recommendations.

Councillor Cleve Mortelliti echoed concerns he had with it during last term.

He said council lost the chance to capitalize on the naming rights, when originally they were suppose to get $750,000, but ended up settling for $300,000.

“I think we really blew our chances here,” Mortelliti said. “There is a municipality next to us who is getting $1 million for the interior naming rights for the facility, I mean where’s the logic with going under the asking price?”

Councillor Bill Cober said the Township was lucky to get $300,000, saying money is not accessible these days after getting through an economic crisis.

“This money is a gift,” Cober argued. \“It’s an amount in which won’t be taken away from our constituents.”

Mayor Steve Pellegrini said though he was not happy with $300,000, if that’s going to be the case, he’d rather see the arena named King Township rather than Trisan Centre.

“This by no stretch of the imagination is an insult against Trisan Centre, but I am looking at marketing our Township,” he commented. “At this point of time people coming from Newmarket won’t know it’s a King Township arena.”

Pellegrini looked for a vote to defer the issue, which caused Cober to argue that if they are going to, they’ll have to have reason why when confronted by Trisan.

“You just can’t defer issue without a reason,” he declared. “We may end up losing the $300,000.”

Councillor Linda Pabst put forth the idea of possibly naming the arena The King Township Trisan Centre.

Mortelliti posed the question of where the rest half of the money is going to come from.