Comuniplex Renamed Art Hauser Centre

At a special ceremony prior to the Western Hockey League game between the Swift Current Broncos and the Prince Albert Raiders on March 16, 2005, the Raiders' home building was renamed. The building, which had been known since 1971 as the "Comuniplex", will now be known as the "Art Hauser Centre".

Art Hauser was the major contributor to the recent "Bring Back the Magic" campaign contributing $1,000,000 to the campaign orchestrated to revamp Prince Albert's premier sports facility.

Art Hauser was born in Poland in 1935. His father was an interpreter with the Army and his mother a seamstress. The last time Art saw his father, he was 8 years old. He would smuggle bread into Berlin and sell it to raise money for his family. At 12, Art and his family spent time in prison for attempting to cross into Western Germany. Art and his family spent the next year in a Displaced Persons Camp in order to qualify for immigration to Canada.

His family arrived in Canada in 1948 and moved to North Battleford, Saskatchewan. His first job was at Standard Mineral Works washing bottles after school. He worked there for 14 years before moving to Prince Albert in 1965.

Art purchased Prince Albert Mineral Works in 1965 with 38 cases of soft drinks on the floor and one truck. Prince Albert Bottlers, one of the only locally owned Coca Cola plants in Canada now has over 60 licensed trucks and trailers and ships millions of cases of soft drinks across Central Saskatchewan, Northern Manitoba, and Central Alberta each year. Art also owns Rally Motors in Prince Albert and has other business interests. He has always given back to the community that has helped him realize his dream of being a successful business man. The $1 million contribution by Art Hauser to the "Bring Back the Magic" campaign put them over their goal of $3 million ending up with $3.3 million in pledges. The City of Prince Albert has also contributed $2.9 million to make the renovations $6.2 million.

Phase I of the project, including new seating, elevator, lights, score clock, updates to the Raiders dressing room, and other interior upgrades were completed at a cost of $1.8 million. Phase II of the "Bring Back the Magic" campaign is now completed with an estimated total cost of $4.4 million. A major exterior face-lift to the building will be the most notable change. An expanded lobby, Ches Leach Lounge, washrooms, and offices for both the Raiders and the Art Hauser Centre employees are part of the expansion to the West. The south east corner of the building will feature an addition to include washroom and concession facilities accessible from both levels in the interior and the lower level accessible from the outside for other events (IE: Prime Ministers Park). All reference to the building should now be the "Art Hauser Centre".