[News] Preliminary agreement reached for new Ottawa arena

[sureLoss]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...ting-1.4502170

The National Capital Commission has reached an agreement in principle with RendezVous LeBreton to redevelop LeBreton Flats, a 21-hectare patch of mostly vacant land beside Ottawa's core.

The Ottawa Senators-led winning bid to develop the land centred around a new NHL arena, also included an accessible community centre, 4,000 units of housing, a French-language public school and public space.

NCC CEO Mark Kristmanson said Wednesday the agreement lays out the conditions for an eventual sale of public land to RendezVous Lebreton.

He said it is the basis of what will still be a challenging negotiation in the weeks ahead.

Negotiating a land deal has been slow-going, with RendezVous LeBreton chosen as the preferred bid in spring 2016.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk once mused about the team playing in a new downtown rink in the 2020-21.

That timeline is all-but-impossible, with a land deal not expected to be finalized for at least a year — or longer.​

[Toonage]

The side of that building looks like Gypsy from MST3K

Or a duck.

[Ashasx]

TFW a team owned by Eugene Melnyk is closer to getting a new arena than the Flames.

[Karl]

Sens suck.

[Erick Estrada]

This has to be good news for Senator fans as it's going to make games much more accessible.

[Badgers Nose]

Beavertail Dome?

[Johnny Makarov]

Ottawa Next!

[Simanium]

It would be interesting the know the funding model for this arena and compare it to the Flames and the City of Calgary's proposals.

[scotty2hotty]

Actually looks like a modern day Saddledome to me.

[Manhattanboy]

Sigh.

[kukkudo]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Actually looks like a modern day Saddledome to me.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

TFW a team owned by Eugene Melnyk is closer to getting a new arena than the Flames.

Yeah, well... let's see the dollars before we say that. Although thinking rationally so long as the Flames are unwilling to negotiate that's automatically true.

[getbak]

Financing is the all-important question. If it involves mostly private financing, it will be a real kick in the balls to the Flames' position.

If it involves them asking for a bunch of public money from the city, expect it to slip into the same limbo that we're in now in Calgary.

[sureLoss]

Back in 2016, Melnyk said that no taxpayer money would be involved in his arena proposal, but who knows what has changed since then.

[White Out 403]

Went to a jets senators game a few years ago. What a nightmare getting there and home. Wouldn't go again to that building

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Went to a jets senators game a few years ago. What a nightmare getting there and home. Wouldn't go again to that building

Agreed.

Sens fans are also incredibly lame.

[Tinordi]

Wait, the NCC isn't gifting the land like in the Flames proposal?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Back in 2016, Melnyk said that no taxpayer money would be involved in his arena proposal, but who knows what has changed since then.

We'll see. Let us not forget that Ken King said the same thing at one point.

[troutman]

[troutman]