Danny Murphy withdraws offer of $250K for naming rights at Simmons replacement

"Community feedback" has led wealthy P.E.I. businessman Danny Murphy to withdraw his offer of $250,000 for naming rights at the Charlottetown sports complex that will replace the aging Simmons Sports Centre. 

The move comes two days after Charlottetown city council voted to defer a final decision on accepting Murphy's offer, which would have seen the new $25-million facility named the D.P. Murphy Wellness Centre.  

"As a direct result of the community feedback that we have received in recent days regarding the announcement of the naming rights for the new Simmons Arena project, we have decided to withdraw our proposed funding for this project until such time that it can be done in a manner that is in no way contentious," Murphy said Wednesday in a statement emailed to CBC News and other local media.  

"Gifting money should always feel good and that is not the case for me at this time."

Council voted on March 10 to approve the naming rights deal, only to reconsider its action on Monday in light of a petition headed up by family members of Frank and Ethel Simmons, who donated 44 acres of land to the City of Charlottetown in the early 1970s.

Jack Simmonds and Kali Simmonds, from a branch of the family that includes a D in the name, have also filed legal papers to seek a judicial review of how council handled the issue. They say the family was not consulted before Murphy bought the naming rights, and the land the family donated was worth much more than the $250,000 in play with the new agreement.

Jack Simmonds said in an email he's pleased Murphy decided to withdraw his offer.

"I am sure it was a tough decision for him, but it was the right one in the circumstances," he said in the email.

"It is a step in the right direction but there are other steps to take. We will now deal further with city council on the matter."

Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown had tried to defuse the situation with an offer to honour the original donation by naming individual components of the centre after the Simmons family, as well as recognizing their contribution with a display inside the new arena.

But now Murphy has pulled out of the deal. 

"I was born and brought up in Charlottetown and fortunate enough to raise my six children in this great city and province," his statement said. "My only motivating factor when offering to be involved with this project was the ability for me to give back to the community in a meaningful manner that would benefit all citizens and promote health and wellness at a time when it is more important than ever…

"In the end, our hearts and intentions were in the right place when we offered to support this initiative, but it has become abundantly clear that we had not fully contemplated the deep roots and personal feelings that this change would bring to some area residents."

City council had been scheduled to continue debate on the naming rights deal at the end of April.