New "Downtown" Arena location?

[OTownandDown]

1. Demolish the North Side Stands at Lansdowne, and associated small business booth jobbies that were just built.

2. Place the new arena beneath new North Side stands (enlarged, of course).

3. Bob's your uncle.

[AuxTown]

Article here: https://www.ledroit.com/sports/senateurs...tineau--673284899ef1fe5d7f755fb8057e258a

What a — show that would be. It would be just a car-centric as the current arena! I never even thought of it as a possibility so am willing to hear them out but this does not sound like a good idea at first glance.

In keeping with our discussions on other threads, some very high end "renderings" here

[FutureWickedCity]

Bayview? Tunney's? Hurdman? Heron/Riverside area? Just throwin out ideas

[J.OT13]

Looking at the Brigil proposal objectively, purely at the site's merits.

It is more central than Kanata however, it could be quite difficult for Ottawan's to cross the river and reach Highway 5 to the arena.

It is served by the Rapibus, and with a bus loop within the site, it could have similar bus service as the current 400 series to the CTC. However, once again, it could be difficult for OC Transpo buses to get to it due to poor interprovincial road connections.

If we were to extend the Trillium Line to Gatineau (main line to Zibi/Chaudière and shuttles to arena/casino during event and game nights), it would help the situation though again, Trillium's capacity might not be able to handle it.

If Gatineau's RapiBus were to cross the PoW to Bayview (or better yet, convert the RapiBus to rail and cross to Bayview, though that won't happen), that could work.

Another recent event could make this site even more interesting. The Louis St-Laurent Building south of the proposed arena (as seen in the provided sketch two posts above) was badly damaged in a fire a few years back and DND will not be returning (see post here from Rumour Thread). Brigil and Melnyk could buy that property and include it as part of a new entertainment district.

The big questions though are a. will the NHL allow the Sens to move across the river to Québec. b. Will the Montreal Canadians accept another team in the Québec market and c. How does this effect Québec City's chances of getting an NHL team (relocation or expansion).

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by ars

I can't see any new arena being built with Melnyk as the owner. If he didn't have money to build at Lebreton, why would he suddenly have enough cash for anywhere else?

All the other possible locations that have been mentioned are inadequate compared to Lebreton, I'm really hoping any future Lebreton development leaves a parcel of land for a future arena that a future owner of the Sens can build on.

He just wants a free arena. Maybe Loto Quebec sees it as a good loss leader for the casino.

[Acajack]

No way Gatineau, Québec or Loto-Quebec would offer anything close to a free arena.

[Marshsparrow]

I'll post this here - the "Gatineau Senators" are a no-go - too many Ottawans that are not comfortable going to Gatineau would exacerbate the attendance issue - come 2050 we'll still be talking about the Sens playing in Kanata - if not Lebreton I see nothing else as remotely possible.

[daud]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

I'll post this here - the "Gatineau Senators" are a no-go - too many Ottawans that are not comfortable going to Gatineau would exacerbate the attendance issue - come 2050 we'll still be talking about the Sens playing in Kanata - if not Lebreton I see nothing else as remotely possible.

The rumour on the Senators HF forum is that there is a partial sale in the works of the team. Many of these rumours have surfaced in the past but a few people in the finance sector say a 51% sale to Desmarais group is coming this year.

I would assume a new lebreton plan would quickly follow suit. Fingers crossed this rumour is legit

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by daud

The rumour on the Senators HF forum is that there is a partial sale in the works of the team. Many of these rumours have surfaced in the past but a few people in the finance sector say a 51% sale to Desmarais group is coming this year.

I would assume a new lebreton plan would quickly follow suit. Fingers crossed this rumour is legit

This has been my presumption. A sale, or a partial sale, to a group willing to make LeBreton work. Makes the most sense out of any of the other possibilities.

[OTSkyline]

I think Hurdman would be the only other central logical site for an arena and restaurants/entertainment district.

I've thought for years the #1 issue with redeveloping Hurdman was the contaminated land, but isn't that the same story as Lebreton?

So.. who knows

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by JHikka

This has been my presumption. A sale, or a partial sale, to a group willing to make LeBreton work. Makes the most sense out of any of the other possibilities.

Originally Posted by daud

The rumour on the Senators HF forum is that there is a partial sale in the works of the team. Many of these rumours have surfaced in the past but a few people in the finance sector say a 51% sale to Desmarais group is coming this year.

I would assume a new lebreton plan would quickly follow suit. Fingers crossed this rumour is legit

If that were the case, they would have worked it out during mediation in order to hit the ground running on LeBreton. Even if the NCC was willing to work on yet another deal involving Melnyk (even if he only had a minority stake), it would set the project back a few years.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

If that were the case, they would have worked it out during mediation in order to hit the ground running on LeBreton. Even if the NCC was willing to work on yet another deal involving Melnyk (even if he only had a minority stake), it would set the project back a few years.

Do you not think this is the best case scenario at this point?

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

If that were the case, they would have worked it out during mediation in order to hit the ground running on LeBreton. Even if the NCC was willing to work on yet another deal involving Melnyk (even if he only had a minority stake), it would set the project back a few years.

Yeah, the internet has been reporting an imminent Sens sale for years.

[daud]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

If that were the case, they would have worked it out during mediation in order to hit the ground running on LeBreton. Even if the NCC was willing to work on yet another deal involving Melnyk (even if he only had a minority stake), it would set the project back a few years.

Not necessarily...if they decided it was in their best interests to proceed without Trinity, they might let the mediation fail, though there could be a risk involved in losing that opportunity to build on lebreton flats-maybe that is why melnyk was on parliament hill the day before the expriation? Maybe devcore feels that isn't a risk at all.

The flipside would be that maybe the rumours of an impending sale were part of the mediation and melnyk has now said no to all of it and is going it alone. In essence, those people did see something but that is now been nixed.

Both scenarios are plausible.

I suspect that with Devcore as majority owner of the senators, it will drop its lawsuit against trinity and trinity will do the same if it can build 900 albert.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

If that were the case, they would have worked it out during mediation in order to hit the ground running on LeBreton. Even if the NCC was willing to work on yet another deal involving Melnyk (even if he only had a minority stake), it would set the project back a few years.

Depends on the mechanisms in place. Working with Melnyk is notoriously difficult; involving another party for a sale (along with the NHL) would have muddled mediation even further than it already was.

[daud]

From HF forums:

"I’m not pretending to have a great source but I wouldn’t post this if I thought the person was lying. My source claims to be connected to the transaction. Take it for a grain of salt if you will.

The suggestion was that EM has sold the team to “an alternate bidding LF group” and the 51% ownership transaction was being facilitated by one of Deloitte’s divisions. They suggested it would be announced in a about a month."

"This is literally the exact same thing I heard over the weekend ...although I heard the 51% was to Desmarais."

"Yep I've heard from some contacts in the finance industry that a majority ownership sale to Desmarais (not 100%) is in the works. Take it FWIW. I'll only believe it when I see it."

Many people, myself included, are skeptical, but one needs to acknowledge that the status quo is probably not sustainable and previous rumours were based on some truths, offers were made etc... We'll see. For many sens fans, this is the only string of hope left.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by daud

From HF forums:

"I’m not pretending to have a great source but I wouldn’t post this if I thought the person was lying. My source claims to be connected to the transaction. Take it for a grain of salt if you will.

The suggestion was that EM has sold the team to “an alternate bidding LF group” and the 51% ownership transaction was being facilitated by one of Deloitte’s divisions. They suggested it would be announced in a about a month."

"This is literally the exact same thing I heard over the weekend ...although I heard the 51% was to Desmarais."

"Yep I've heard from some contacts in the finance industry that a majority ownership sale to Desmarais (not 100%) is in the works. Take it FWIW. I'll only believe it when I see it."

Many people, myself included, are skeptical, but one needs to acknowledge that the status quo is probably not sustainable and previous rumours were based on some truths, offers were made etc... We'll see. For many sens fans, this is the only string of hope left.

Let's hope this is true. It makes sense for EM as the current situation is devaluing the franchise. If he remains as minority owner, he gets a chance to benefit from a rebound in the franchise value especially in the longer term. It also gets an infusion in cash which allows the Sens to put a competitive team on the ice and may save the Lebreton project in some way.

[Acajack]

There has also been a bit of a buzz in the Quebec sports media recently about the Sens possibly moving To Quebec City.

[Marshsparrow]

Hurdman - you want to see pitchforks - that Alta Vista crowd are some of the biggest NIMBYs in town - good luck! How does one even get to Hurdman easily?

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

Hurdman - you want to see pitchforks - that Alta Vista crowd are some of the biggest NIMBYs in town - good luck! How does one even get to Hurdman easily?

Um, the junction of three transitway sections, and within 1km of Vanier Parkway interchange with the 417 (AND directly on the new Walkley-to-Nicholas parkway that NIMBY's have been fighting for years). Arguably WAY better transportation options to get to Hurdman than to Lebreton.

Hurdman has a snazzy masterplan for future development. Someone else will be quicker to post it though.