Growlers Add Bob Hunter for New Mile One Proposal

ST. JOHN'S, NL – The Newfoundland Growlers, proud affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, have announced today that the team has added Bob Hunter as a Lead Consultant for the club’s proposed revitalization of Mile One Centre. Hunter brings over 35 years of experience in the sport, entertainment, hospitality and tourism industries.  During his career, he has opened and operated three major stadiums in both Toronto and Vancouver (Rogers Centre, BMO Field and B.C. Place Stadium); one major arena in Toronto (ScotiaBank Arena) and two smaller arenas GM Centre (Oshawa) and Ricoh Coliseum (Toronto).Overseeing the operating teams for five venues for MLSE (Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment), Hunter oversaw all venues operations, in-house food and beverage, live entertainment, suites sales and service and construction and venue development.  Home to both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, ScotiaBank Arena is annually recognized as one of the top five busiest buildings in North America for sports and concert events.  Hunter’s food and beverage experience includes growing the company’s in-house food and beverage operation revenue from $24 million annually in 1989 to over $80 million in five locations by 2015.“Revitalizing Mile One Centre and the downtown core is a very important project for our team, the taxpayers of St. John’s and all of the businesses who rely on the economic spinoff that relates to a busy arena,” said Dean MacDonald, Chair of Deacon Sports and Entertainment. “By adding an industry leader like Bob Hunter to our team it really underscores how serious we are about bringing the very best proposal forward, and how critical it is to breathe life back into Mile One Centre should council decide to sell the building.”For more information on the proposed Mile One Centre revitalization project visit www.newmileone.com. Feedback and questions from the public are encouraged and can be submitted directly on the website.