Some Saskatoon city councillors have concerns about the city potentially selling off new naming rights or seeking sponsorships and advertising for public buildings and programs.

In early 2018, the city hired the Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing to look at opportunities for generating revenue from new naming rights, program sponsorships and advertising efforts.

The report, presented to council's corporate services committee on Monday, found that during year five, $542,425 in gross annual revenue could be generated — assuming only half of the available naming inventory and 40 per cent of available program sponsorships are sold.

After expenses, the net annual revenue would be $350,425 in year five. The projected cumulative net revenue over the five years would be $845,425.

Some members of the committee, including Mayor Charlie Clark and Ward 7 Councillor Mairin Loewen, said the benefits don't outweigh the downsides.

"I'm not interested in expanding the suite of assets that we shop around for sponsorship or advertising," Loewen said.

Loewen pointed to a section of the report that says groups are likely to show more interest in funding new facilities, opposed to refurbishing older buildings.

She also cited a concern about a potential decline in the public's feelings of ownership of buildings.

Loewen added that the revenue projection is lower than she'd expected.

"From my point of view, the business case is not worth the compromise that we would have ..." echoed Clark. "I think that on a go-forward basis, as new facilities develop — as we've learned with the Remai [Modern Art Museum] and others — that we continue to follow the path we have and seek what opportunities are there."

Ward 4 Councillor Troy Davies fronted a motion for the discussion to continue with all of city council.

"Any time we can find further funds to reduce taxes, I'm willing to have those conversations," Davies said. "Golf carts at golf courses — whatever it may be."

Public amenities like Nutrien Park wouldn't exist without corporate partnerships, he added.

City officials said their current priority is renewing Shaw Centre's naming rights, which expire in 2022.