SURREY, B.C. – Surrey mayoral candidate Linda Annis is raising questions about the proposed 10,000-seat City Centre Arena after saying Mayor Brenda Locke described the project as a public-private partnership during a mayoral candidate debate.
In a campaign statement issued September 16, Annis said she wants more information about how a P3 arrangement would work and what financial responsibility would remain with Surrey taxpayers.
Annis also challenged the City’s stated $360-million net estimated cost for the arena, arguing that the final cost could be closer to $600 million.
The $600-million figure is Annis’s estimate and is not the City’s published project estimate.
The City of Surrey currently lists the arena’s net estimated cost at $360 million. The approximately 10,000-seat venue is planned as the centrepiece of a new entertainment district in Surrey City Centre, with the Vancouver Giants expected to relocate to the arena as its anchor tenant.
The City’s project plans also call for future private-sector development around the arena, including a hotel, restaurants, residential towers, retail and other amenities.
In her statement, Annis argued that Surrey should instead prioritize neighbourhood facilities such as parks, pools, rinks and playing fields.
Annis said she would not proceed with an arena arrangement that she believes would put taxpayers or public funds at unacceptable financial risk.
The arena has become an issue in Surrey’s 2026 municipal election as candidates debate the project’s cost, financing and priorities for public spending.
The City anticipates completing the arena in 2030.
