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The Ottawa Senators have taken an important first step toward building an arena closer to the city’s core.
The Senators and the National Capital Corporation reached a deal for the sale of land for purposes of constructing an arena at LeBreton Flats, it was announced Friday.
“We are pleased to take this next step in the process with the National Capital Commission,” Senators president Cyril Leeder said in a statement. “Our ultimate desire is to build a world-class, multi-event centre in the heart of Ottawa-Gatineau that can be enjoyed for generations to come. Today represents an important step towards achieving that goal and we are committed to working with the NCC and other key stakeholders to make this a reality.”
One significant development is the fact the Senators are purchasing the land. Originally, the two sides were talking about a lease. The site is over 10 acres.
In a press conference Friday, Leeder said it was too early to estimate a total cost to build an arena. He also said it was too early for a timeline for construction.
The previous Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the hockey club and the NCC was due to expire Friday. The NCC is the Crown corporation responsible for development, urban planning and conservation in Canada’s National Capital Region.
The deal gives a chance for second-year Senators owner Michael Andlauer to complete the organization’s long-held goal of playing closer to the centre of Ottawa. The Senators have played at the Canadian Tire Centre in the western suburb of Kanata since 1996.
The 25-kilometre drive from Ottawa’s downtown to the Kanata facility, often made longer due to traffic, has been cited as an obstacle for attracting walk-up crowds — an issue teams with downtown arenas don’t face.
The Senators have been eyeing LeBreton Flats since first entering into a deal with another partner in 2016, but that project fell apart under a series of lawsuits.
Andlauer inherited the previous MOU from the previous Senators ownership group. It was signed by the team in a time of transition, months after previous owner Eugene Melnyk died in 2022.
The deal does not guarantee an arena as a funding formula still needs to be hammered out.
— With files from CP
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