NCC CEO says talks with Senators moving in right direction, but no timeline for shovels in the ground
It has been more than 10 months since Senators owner Michael Andlauer and his partners agreed to purchase 11 acres of land from the NCC
By Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jun 23, 2026 | Last updated 1 hour ago
The National Capital Commission is confident there are no roadblocks ahead that will halt the finalization of a deal for a new home for the Ottawa Senators at LeBreton Flats.
When that dream will become reality is anybody’s guess.
While the arena project wasn’t on the agenda in either the public or private portion of Tuesday’s annual public board of directors meeting at the NCC’s headquarters on Elgin Street, chief executive officer Tobi Nussbaum told the Ottawa Citizen after the morning session that the talks are continuing.
It has been more than 10 months since Senators owner Michael Andlauer and his partners agreed to purchase 11 acres of land from the NCC to build a new downtown arena, plus a surrounding ice district.
The Citizen has reported that the Senators had agreed to pay $37 million for the land when the sale is complete. Since then, both sides have been working to try to get the land formally in the hands of the Senators.
Nussbaum said on Tuesday talks are continuing and progress is being made.
“There is nothing worrying about the fact that it wasn’t on the agenda,” said Nussbaum. “The meetings between the teams continue on a regular basis. Their work, on the Senators’ side, (is) on the due diligence portion of this agreement. We’re also talking to them about the decontamination plan.
“So, there is, I assure you, a lot of work underway and a lot of discussion between the two teams to advance the file.”
There is a lot of work taking place behind the scenes to finalize the purchase agreement with the NCC.
Cyril Leeder, the club’s chief executive officer, predicted in an interview with the Citizen in January that it would take a calendar year to solve issues, which include decontaminating the site, working with Indigenous groups, designing the site and financing.
At the same time, Nussbaum said, the Senators are in discussions with the City of Ottawa because it has to be part of the planning and development of the new arena and the surrounding areas.
All these elements need to be addressed before the Senators can confirm a timeline for breaking ground.
But decontamination is a significant issue because it will likely be an expensive and lengthy process. Leeder has stated that the cleanup could begin in conjunction with the start of the construction on the new arena.
Leeder said that once the club puts shovels in the ground, the timeline to build a new rink is 34 months.
“The timeline is something that the Senators control and will be the lead on,” Nussbaum said. “It’s a reassuring point that I want to make, that the conversations are continuing, and the meetings are happening on a regular basis.
“And in terms of that exact next steps, in terms of getting to the puck drop, I really want to give the Senators a chance to be in control of that time frame and what they’re communicating.”
Andlauer said earlier this month that the area will be more than just an arena.
The talk among local developers is that there could be as many as six or seven structures on the site, including the arena. The original plan called for a hotel and a rink, but there will be housing as part of the project, which could potentially help pay for the cost of the rink.
Andlauer hinted that the Senators have big plans for the site.
“It’s not just an arena, it’s a whole development. The arena, actually, in my opinion, is going to be a small part of the whole development. I’m trying to do something special here,” said Andlauer.
“To me, it’s a passion. To me, it’s about sustainability … I’ve always run my businesses in a way where I don’t look at next quarters and financial results, it’s about where we’re going to be in five years; I used to always tell my employees that,” Andlauer said on June 5.
“That’s my only job, and I look at it from that standpoint, is what’s going to make Ottawa able to continue to have an NHL team and be proud of it, and have a hundred-plus million-dollar U.S. payroll and pay our fair share of taxes to all the governments.”
Nussbaum said the NCC has been working with the Senators on the site plan.
“They keep us informed. They certainly have let us know what their intentions are, what their plans are,” Nussbaum said. “I know there are meetings that take place with the City of Ottawa as well, which is going to have a role in all of this, of course, because of the infrastructure and the approvals, and so on.
“The good news is the conversations are continuing. I’m sure it’s frustrating for people who want to see more visible progress, but I can only say that there is nothing concerning, and the conversations are happening on a regular basis in a really constructive way.”
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