News Article: Ottawa Senators Organization Actively Considering Building Arena At Lebreton Flats

[Engineer]

Its an article where someone points out that not everyone is behind building a brand new arena right now when we have a perfectly adequate one already. Thats all it is, and despite the majority on this board there are plenty of people who like things as they are and/or don't want tax payer money going to help a private company make more money.

Im not even saying that I wouldn't mind an arena downtown, I don't really care where it is to be honest, but I can see both sides of the coin.

I understand what it is, what I concluded from what I read was his only argument is he doesnt want to pay tax dollars on a new arena, which is what my first post said about it.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

I think most peoples issues with the location is the 2nd order effects. Everyone leaves at the same time in the same direction, nobody goes to the bars or restaurants, so there is no symbiotic relationship.

I'm also not sure where people are getting the funtional lifespan of an arena (I've seen people say 30-40, and now he's saying 40 min). The original post indicated getting a venue like CTC to continue beyond 30 yrs requires massive renovation costs (100+ mil), so is it comes down to if it's worth spending a 5th of the cost of a new building to get 10 more years of functionality while no longer being state of the art.

I would also point out that building a new arena isn't building something redundant, as the old building would likely be re-purposed.

The reason for moving downtown is because it's a better location for an arena. The reason for doing this now is because the option likely won't be there in 10 years when the CTC is nearing it's end of lifecycle.

And that's why I think the idea is worth exploring, I just don't think its a cut and dry issue.

 

[great1]

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hoc...tential-move-to-lebreton-flats-a-game-changer

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk says it is too early to discuss details of a possible move to a new arena in the LeBreton Flats.

But he sounds like a man ready to take his best shot.

“This building wasn’t built to last 35, 40 years,†Melnyk said Monday from the Canadian Tire Centre, where he held his annual skate for children.

Despite the money the Senators organization has spent recently to upgrade the current arena, built in 1996, “you have to build a new one eventually, I hope in my lifetime,†Melnyk said.

“It’s where do you put it from here? We’ve had tremendous support (for a LeBreton pitch), but you’re always going to have naysayers.â€

Melnyk noted the Request for Qualification (RFQ) proposal is due on Jan. 7, but that he would likely file it before Christmas, so that staff aren’t working on it over the holidays.

“The project itself is very premature to even talk about it,†Melnyk said. “We haven’t even decided if we should do it.â€

And yet he added he hopes he and his staff come to the “right decision†on a proposal very soon.

“If we’re going to do it, we want to do it right, we want to be organized,†Melnyk said. “We want to make sure this has been very carefully thought through. This impacts the city in a huge way, it impacts the organization in a huge way, we just need to clearly understand what we’re getting ourselves into because it is a long-term project and it’s really a game-changer for us.

“The main thing is we want to do what’sright for the city, for the fans and the organization long term.â€

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Baird can be a moron sometimes.

It's nice that an area MP who is a cabinet minister I may add, refers to Kanata as the middle of nowhere. That's a line I hear from the troglodytes..

If they want to put an arena downtown so be it, no need to slag other parts of the city though.

Congratulations on willfully missing the point. By your logic, if I say that the Nevada Desert is in the middle of nowhere, I just "slagged" America as being some backwater.

If you have to drive there (hint: the nearest residence is 1.5km away, on roads with no sidewalks), it's the middle of nowhere.

 

[Boud]

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/gordon-ottawa-doesnt-need-nor-can-it-afford-a-new-nhl-arena

 

[Golden_Jet]

If you have to drive there (hint: the nearest residence is 1.5km away, on roads with no sidewalks), it's the middle of nowhere.

Well can't be CTC then as closest home is a 100 metres and 500 metres there is a whole new subdivision.

Author does make a good point in Washington, Montreal, Vancouver and Boston are not talking about new buildings. As their buildings are also only 18 years old.

 

[aragorn]

I have a difficult time believing that Melnyk would put any of his own money into this venture & have an even harder time thinking any level of government would support this financially. Who exactly is going to pay for this? Who is going to vote to raise their taxes to pay for this? Not me.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Well can't be CTC then as closest home is a 100 metres and 500 metres there is a whole new subdivision.

Well I'm sure the 100 people in that subdivision are very pleased with the arena's location. Now let's ask the other million people in the city.

Author does make a good point in Washington, Montreal, Vancouver and Boston are not talking about new buildings. As their buildings are also only 18 years old.

We aren't replacing an 18 year old building, we're replacing a 30-35-year-old building, maybe even older. It'll be another 10-15 years or more before an arena - should their bid win - opens on the Flats. If Washington, Montreal, Vancouver and Boston want to wait until they need a new building to begin discussing it, then it's their prerogative to not think ahead - and they can go through all the same stupidity that the Islanders, Oilers, Flames, and Penguins went through.

 

[FuriousSenator]

Well can't be CTC then as closest home is a 100 metres and 500 metres there is a whole new subdivision.

Author does make a good point in Washington, Montreal, Vancouver and Boston are not talking about new buildings. As their buildings are also only 18 years old.

Yah but their arenas are all right downtown attached to major, easily accessible, fast efficient public transit.

Of course they don't need to think about it. They already have the location that we lack.

 

[Sun God Nika]

If it helps ill sell my first born son to the devil for a downtown arena

 

[Smash88]

Congratulations on willfully missing the point. By your logic, if I say that the Nevada Desert is in the middle of nowhere, I just "slagged" America as being some backwater.

If you have to drive there (hint: the nearest residence is 1.5km away, on roads with no sidewalks), it's the middle of nowhere.

Yes because the Nevada desert and Kanata are the same thing. LOL

Kanata is closing in on 100,000 residents, it's not exactly "middle of nowhere".

I'm just sick of people regurgitating that line, it's a literal 20 minute drive from Kanata to downtown.

Putting a stadium downtown is fine and is definitely better for anyone east and south of downtown. Doesn't make Kanata the middle of nowhere.

 

[Jerk Store*]

Yes because the Nevada desert and Kanata are the same thing. LOL

Kanata is closing in on 100,000 residents, it's not exactly "middle of nowhere".

I'm just sick of people regurgitating that line, it's a literal 20 minute drive from Kanata to downtown.

Putting a stadium downtown is fine and is definitely better for anyone east and south of downtown. Doesn't make Kanata the middle of nowhere.

Can you keep your feelings out of this? You're getting your panties in a bunch over an MP trying to make a valid point.

 

[BonkTastic]

“This building wasn’t built to last 35, 40 years,†Melnyk said Monday from the Canadian Tire Centre

I don't believe this for a second. It goes against everything we were told back when I worked in the arena.

I don't like being lied to.

 

[operasen]

I have a difficult time believing that Melnyk would put any of his own money into this venture & have an even harder time thinking any level of government would support this financially. Who exactly is going to pay for this? Who is going to vote to raise their taxes to pay for this? Not me.

Bang On.

Add in the fact that Melnyk owns the CTC. Who is going to buy it and for what purpose?

OSEG put the 67s at Lansdowne. There is no other hockey team that will draw 18K. Basketball included.

No, Melnyk is stuck with it. The caveat he would demand to move to the downtown would be the Casino. I doubt he gets that either.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Kanata is closing in on 100,000 residents, it's not exactly "middle of nowhere".

100,000 residents that all need to drive to get to the CTC, because they put it in the middle of nowhere.

Yes because the Nevada desert and Kanata are the same thing. LOL

Okay, fine. Let's build the new arena in Greely. Greely is within the city of Ottawa, and Ottawa has a million people in it. Therefore it's a perfectly suitable location, and by no means out of anyone's way in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Smash88]

100,000 residents that all need to drive to get to the CTC, because they put it in the middle of nowhere.

Okay, fine. Let's build the new arena in Greely. Greely is within the city of Ottawa, and Ottawa has a million people in it. Therefore it's a perfectly suitable location, and by no means out of anyone's way in the middle of nowhere.

People will still drive to Lebreton. As much as some of you claim it's downtown, it's really not.

Why the hell would they build a NEW arena in Greely? I've already said Kanata is not the ideal location for the city. But it is what it is. My whole point is Kanata is not the middle of nowhere that you want to think it is.

Has nothing to do with feelings.

Lebreton is better than Kanata, but I just don't see it as that great. It's slightly better than a lateral move, simply because it won't be as far for some.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

OK, so let's say the NCC decides to act snotty (like it always does) and gives Lansdowne to some other group (probably the Preservation of Icicles or something equally stupid).

What happens then? What happens 15-25 years down the line when CTC costs too much to renovate? What other land would be available, and at an affordable price (since no level of government will in vest in fat cat city, even though they throw money at other Canadian teams)?

 

[Micklebot]

People will still drive to Lebreton. As much as some of you claim it's downtown, it's really not.

Why the hell would they build a NEW arena in Greely? I've already said Kanata is not the ideal location for the city. But it is what it is. My whole point is Kanata is not the middle of nowhere that you want to think it is.

Has nothing to do with feelings.

Lebreton is better than Kanata, but I just don't see it as that great. It's slightly better than a lateral move, simply because it won't be as far for some.

Downtown Ottawa is generally considered to run all the way to Bronson ave, so while Lebreton might not technically be in downtown, it is almost literally across the street from it. The biggest advantage imo is it's proximity to Gatineau though. That will really help out (but probably make habs games a little more annoying).

 

[Smash88]

Downtown Ottawa is generally considered to run all the way to Bronson ave, so while Lebreton might not technically be in downtown, it is almost literally across the street from it. The biggest advantage imo is it's proximity to Gatineau though. That will really help out (but probably make habs games a little more annoying).

I mean in the sense that it's still a far way from the "happening" downtown.

Which to me seems like Elgin to basically Lyon and the market. Sure there's more than that, but when people talk "walk up crowd" it's from those areas and Lebreton is a good hike from all that.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I can see Lebreton Flats from my Vieux Hull apartment and I can walk to the market in 20 minutes

Lebreton might not technically be downtown but it's pretty damn close

 

[dpw]

100,000 residents that all need to drive to get to the CTC, because they put it in the middle of nowhere.



Okay, fine. Let's build the new arena in Greely. Greely is within the city of Ottawa, and Ottawa has a million people in it. Therefore it's a perfectly suitable location, and by no means out of anyone's way in the middle of nowhere.

Now your talking.

 

[Micklebot]

I mean in the sense that it's still a far way from the "happening" downtown.

Which to me seems like Elgin to basically Lyon and the market. Sure there's more than that, but when people talk "walk up crowd" it's from those areas and Lebreton is a good hike from all that.

It's a 20 min walk from those areas and has easy transit options. Also, the area it is in has other bar and restaurant options that could become "happening" if they had the foot traffic an arena would bring. They could become symbiotic instead of what we have know; a car dealership and Tanger outlet that shutdown on game nights because of the traffic nightmare.

 

[FireMurray]

People will still drive to Lebreton. As much as some of you claim it's downtown, it's really not.

Why the hell would they build a NEW arena in Greely? I've already said Kanata is not the ideal location for the city. But it is what it is. My whole point is Kanata is not the middle of nowhere that you want to think it is.

Has nothing to do with feelings.

Lebreton is better than Kanata, but I just don't see it as that great. It's slightly better than a lateral move, simply because it won't be as far for some.

This is simply untrue. The vast majority will not walk considering its not an area that caters for parking. Lansdowne is not a 5 minute walk from the Market, yet the Redblacks had no problem selling out with no parking whatsoever. Look at Bluesfest in the same area. Draws a bigger crowd than the CTC's current capacity and the vast majority of people bus and walk from DT.

Your post also ignores the fact there will be an LRT stop at the doorstep of the proposed site. Really nothing to support the claim that this is a lateral move.

 

[Smash88]

It's a 20 min walk from those areas and has easy transit options. Also, the area it is in has other bar and restaurant options that could become "happening" if they had the foot traffic an arena would bring. They could become symbiotic instead of what we have know; a car dealership and Tanger outlet that shutdown on game nights because of the traffic nightmare.

True, they could build it up.

I don't think that's what the NCC is going for though, although I'm not sure about that. Just can't see the NCC allowing any type of festive scene on their land.

If they do allow all that type of infrastructure to go in, then I 100% support it.

 

[Smash88]

This is simply untrue. The vast majority will not walk considering its not an area that caters for parking. Lansdowne is not a 5 minute walk from the Market, yet the Redblacks had no problem selling out with no parking whatsoever. Look at Bluesfest in the same area. Draws a bigger crowd than the CTC's current capacity and the vast majority of people bus and walk from DT.

Your post also ignores the fact there will be an LRT stop at the doorstep of the proposed site. Really nothing to support the claim that this is a lateral move.

The Redblacks worked because they provided 100's of buses from nearby parking. I wouldn't have season tickets if they didn't do that.

Bluesfest is in the summer, so it's a bit different, people won't want to stand at an LRT stop with 10,000 other people in -20 weather.

Either way most of you here think this will be a slam dunk, maybe I'm wrong and it will. I've live long enough in this city to know it won't be easy though.