The head of the National Capital Commission says he remains “hopeful” that the Ottawa Senators will reach an agreement with the Crown corporation to build an NHL arena at LeBreton Flats.
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The head of the National Capital Commission says he remains “hopeful” that the Ottawa Senators will reach an agreement with the Crown corporation to build an NHL arena at LeBreton Flats.
Chief executive Tobi Nussbaum told reporters after the NCC’s board of directors meeting Thursday that the Senators and the NCC continue to talk on “a regular basis” as the two sides try to hammer out an agreement that would see the NHL club lease a parcel of land on which to build a new home at the prime development site just west of downtown.
“We are still hopeful that the discussions we’re having will lead to a lease agreement,” Nussbaum said. “But we know it’s a big project – it’s complicated and (there are) many elements and details still to work out.”
To that end, the NCC confirmed Thursday that it has agreed to extend its memorandum of understanding with the Senators to the fall of 2024 to give the two sides more time to negotiate. The MOU was originally slated to expire last fall.
Following previous owner Eugene Melynk’s death nearly two years ago, the Senators were granted preferred-bidder status in June 2022 to negotiate with the NCC on a plan to build an events centre that would be the crown jewel of the Crown corporation’s long-term effort to redevelop the Flats.
While talks have progressed since then, the process slowed while the Senators sought new ownership. Toronto businessman Michael Andlauer assumed control of the team last September and has been considering his next steps for a new arena.
On Thursday, Nussbaum said the team’s change of ownership has had a “real impact” on the timelines for reaching an agreement.
“We wanted to make sure that the new ownership group had the time to work out what it wanted to do, to understand the details of the site and to determine what next steps they wanted to take,” he said.
“The teams are rolling up their sleeves and addressing all of the issues. We remain confident that the period we have left will allow the parties sufficient time to enter an agreement if there is agreement. I remain hopeful and encouraged by the pace and the extent of the conversations we have had thus far.”
While Andlauer has repeatedly said he believes that relocating the team closer to the city’s core is the right move, he hasn’t explicitly named a preferred site.
Meanwhile, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and other prominent members of the business community have suggested that LeBreton is not the only viable option for a downtown rink, noting that the federal government’s plan to offload aging downtown office towers could open up new pockets of land for development in the core.
But Nussbaum reiterated Thursday he still believes LeBreton Flats checks all the boxes for an ideal arena site. He cited the property’s proximity to Gatineau and two LRT stations as well as its potential for nearby residential development as key advantages in its favour.
“The NCC still feels very strongly that we are offering a very viable site for a major events centre,” Nussbaum said, adding the organization is willing to show “flexibility” when it comes to potentially leasing the Senators more land for an arena than the seven acres currently on offer.
