Capital News Centre to be renamed in new year

MNP, one of Canada’s largest professional services firms, has entered into a six-and-a-half-year sponsorship agreement with GSL Group to secure the naming rights to Kelowna’s iconic Mission Indoor Sports Complex. Currently known as the Capital News Centre, the facility will be rebranded as MNP Place, effective January 1, 2024.

As one of the most prominent professional services firms in the country, with three offices throughout the Okanagan including a new 23,000 square-foot office space in the city’s new Landmark 7 tower, MNP continues to show its commitment to this region.

“Since MNP entered the Kelowna marketplace in 2005, we’ve made it our mission to support the local institutions and communities in which we live and work, so the investment in MNP Place was a natural fit,” said Jennifer Hollis, Regional Managing Partner, Thompson-Okanagan, MNP. “The sports and recreation centre is very much aligned with our firm’s values of building a sense of community, belonging, and wellness in our great city and we couldn’t be more excited.”

The Mission indoor sports complex was built in 2004 and has a rich history as a training ground for Okanagan athletes of all levels. The complex is home to Kelowna’s most inclusive indoor sports facility and is a focal point for minor and adult sports with two NHL-size ice surfaces, a seasonal leisure ice surface, and two full-size indoor turf fields. It has been home to countless tournaments and leagues, including Okanagan Rockets AAA Midget Hockey Club, PAHL Adult Hockey League, and the Kelowna Figure Skating Club.

The facility is equipped with a wide range of amenities, including full-service restaurants, concessions, and commercially leased spaces that house a variety of businesses, such as Mission Fitness, Lifemark Health Group, Okanagan Regional Library, and Boomer’s Bar and Grill.

“GSL Group owns and operates many sports facilities throughout the province, including Prospera Place in Kelowna, Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, and various Planet Ice locations in the Lower Mainland; we aim to partner with values-aligned organizations that share a similar purpose and vision, and MNP checks all of the boxes we are looking for in a partnership” shares Mike Strawn, VP & General Manager of Sports, Media and Entertainment at GSL Group. “We are excited to work together under this newly branded facility name to continue to build a sense of community and belonging for sports fans in this active city”.

Located in the heart of the beautiful Mission Area of Kelowna, B.C., the newly named MNP Place will remain as one of the Okanagan’s most iconic and inclusive sports facilities benefitting all Okanagan residents.

Kelowna is a place we’re proud to call home,” says Hollis. “In almost 20 years, we have grown to a regional team of over 150 and that does not happen without gaining the trust of the community. Each of our team

members feels the entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community here and continues to give back through volunteering, fundraising, sponsorships, and donations. MNP Place is just one more way we can give back and show our community support.”