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<\/p>\nIt\u2019s one step at a time for the Ottawa Senators.<\/p>\n
The Senators made a significant move towards building a new arena last month when they reached an agreement for the purchase and sale of land parcels totalling approximately 11 acres at LeBreton Flats from the National Capital Commission.<\/p>\n
Sources told Postmedia that the Senators have agreed to pay $37 million for the land, which is located just 10 minutes West of Parliament Hill. The news represented a significant, necessary step, but now the organization has some heavy lifting to do to make it a reality.<\/p>\n
Cyril Leeder, the club\u2019s chief executive officer and president, told Postmedia in a one-on-one interview on Media Day at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday that there was urgency to get this agreement signed to see if the dream of a rink at LeBreton can be a reality.<\/p>\n
The location is on Albert Street, between Preston and City Centre Ave.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a credit to both sides because everybody made themselves available,\u201d Leeder said. \u201cWhen people were away, they took calls, and technology helped us. The people at the NCC accommodated that because they knew there was some urgency to get this done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were working with them to acquire the site. Now we\u2019ve got to plan a development and plan an arena. That allows us to move from that acquisition phase into what it is going to look like and what the plans are going to look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou couldn\u2019t really do that in earnest until you knew you had the site.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission announced that they have reached an agreement for the purchase and sale of land parcels totalling approximately 11 acres at LeBreton Flats.<\/p>\n
He stated that the organization had two other locations on its radar screen and push had to come to shove with the NCC to see if both sides could get this across the finish line so that the club could get serious about its plans for a new rink.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were considering other sites because it was taking so long,\u201d Leeder said. \u201cWe had two or three sites on the go. You can\u2019t have architects, engineers and guys doing soil testing and rink siting at each different location. You had to make your deal or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt came together in the summer, but we\u2019re happy it came together and we\u2019re moving forward with what it\u2019s going to look like. We\u2019re in the planning phase right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Senators have been examining concepts internally, but they hope to unveil their intentions for the site to the public before the end of the calendar year. Leeder can\u2019t predict when the club will put shovels in the ground because the organization \u201cisn\u2019t there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The club is trying to find out whether it\u2019s realistic to have a community rink attached to the events centre, which could also serve as a practice facility for the Senators. There is a hope that there will be an Ice District with bars and restaurants, along with a hotel, plus housing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there a community rink? A hotel? Office buildings? Housing? What does the connection to the LRT look like? What are the public spaces, community spaces and public realm?\u201d Leeder rhetorically asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose are questions that we\u2019ve got to answer. We\u2019re now able to get into that work, and that work has started.\u201d<\/p>\n
The good people of Ottawa want to know how owner Michael Andlauer and his partners plan to pay for a rink that will exceed the $1-billion mark.<\/p>\n
Leeder said that Andlauer and the Senators have no desire to have the taxpayers fund a new arena. They understand there\u2019s no appetite for that to happen, but they do believe there is room for negotiation with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe about possible scenarios.<\/p>\n
Leeder again cited the structure used to negotiate a Public Private Partnership (P3S) for the Bell Sensplex and the Richcraft Sensplex.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe taxpayer is not going to increase their taxes and write cheques for this,\u201d Leeder said. \u201cThat\u2019s not the kind of support we\u2019ve been talking about. We need to find a way to make it work that works for everybody involved \u2014 us included.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t go down there and be in a worse situation than we are now, but we\u2019re not expecting to have a taxpayer-funded facility. We\u2019ve got to figure that out with the right kind of (P3). We\u2019ve done it before with the Sensplexes.<\/p>\n
Related<\/p>\n
\u201cWe couldn\u2019t have done it without the city, but the taxpayer didn\u2019t put any money into those. The city was a big part of those and made it happen. They figured it out in Calgary and in Edmonton. We\u2019ve just got to find a model that works here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city also wants to find out what the plan is for the 75 acres where the Canadian Tire Centre sits because it will be either sold or redeveloped by the Senators.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have a plan yet,\u201d Leeder said. \u201cWe need to have full consideration because that\u2019s going to be part of the final solution. What are we doing downtown, and what are we doing here?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s too important. Kanata has been good to us. I know it\u2019s important to the people who live here, the politicians and the councillors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are we doing at this site if we move downtown? We will have a plan and a solution.\u201d<\/p>\n