What are the likely impacts of Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s new $75 million Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre on our local economy? With Mike Warkentin

Lethbridge & District Exhibition is a pillar in the Lethbridge community. As a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1897, it operates and maintains seventy-two acres of land on the east bank of Henderson Lake and exists to ensure that the people of Lethbridge and district have a community gathering place now and in the future at which to participate in events, conduct business, learn, and be entertained. The new 268,000 square foot Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre, one of the largest development projects in the history of Lethbridge, will serve as an economic driver of growth for Alberta’s agriculture, tourism and agri-food sectors. Once completed this Spring, the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre is expected to contribute more than $90 million annually to the regional economy.

Southern Alberta is uniquely situated in Canada’s agriculture community, with an abundance of producers, processors, commercial enterprises, and researchers in the region, which makes Lethbridge an ideal agri-tourism destination. The Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre provides a world class venue for the industry to come together in the heart of this region, while attracting provincial, national and international events to the city, which will provide a boost to restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, and other businesses throughout the city. Today, Lethbridge & District Exhibition produces Whoop-Up Days, Ag Expo, the Lethbridge Farmers’ Market, and Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo, and is home to a wide variety of trade shows, and community events that attract nearly four hundred thousand visitors each year.

The speaker will give an update on the construction progress and visualize the numerous possibilities and opportunities Lethbridge will gain through this new venue.

Speaker: Mike Warkentin, CEO of Lethbridge & District Exhibition

Mike Warkentin joined Lethbridge & District Exhibition in 2018 as Assistant General Manager, was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2019 and was named Chief Executive Officer in May 2021.

Warkentin has spent more than a decade in corporate leadership roles through his work in economic development, venue management and major events. Mike now leads team of industry professionals as the organization prepares to open the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre this Spring.

Raised in Lethbridge, Warkentin earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Lethbridge and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from San Diego State University, where he was named Outstanding Alumnus in 2018. As an active community member, Mike is proud to make an impact across the region.