Ottawa Senators LeBreton Arena | 11 Acres | In Planning

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Highly visible condo towers can give the impression that there is a significant downtown residential population, but it’s deceiving. Somerset Ward, which includes the downtown, Centretown and LeBreton Flats, has a population of about 44,000 people, just a bit larger than Stittsville.

Now add everyone within a 30mins. walk, bike, or public transit from the arena. Not even driving, just those three.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

A new arena downtown will certainly encourage more visitors, but what will their visit contribute to downtown? At most, they might go for dinner before an event, maybe for a drink afterwards. Assuming, of course, that there are restaurants and bars in close proximity to the arena.

The author seems to ignore the fact that teams would stay at the Westin at Rideau Centre whenever they could, even though Brookfield is a five minute drive away from the rink in Kanata. Teams show up with at minimum 50 people a night, most of whom make far above national averages for incomes.

And besides, your local hockey team doesn't exist to drive sport tourism. It exists to drive revenue from locals. The tourism and travelling fan stuff is extra.

This is beside the fact that any situation at LeBreton for restaurants or bars is impossible to be worse than the current situation in Kanata, where the arena is surrounded exclusively by car dealerships.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The argument that an NHL arena should be downtown because that’s where all the action is has always been a bit suspect in Ottawa, but there is a long-held belief that the new location will be better for the Senators and their fans.

Literally impossible to argue otherwise.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Senators’ attendance has waned in recent years and some attribute that to the location of the rink. It’s a not a compelling argument. When the Senators iced a winning team, they sold out regularly. The rink hasn’t moved.

The only three teams in the NHL with attendance issues all suffer from the same problem. Can anyone guess what it is?

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Certainly a new building will help attract fans, at least until the novelty wears off.

This team has existed for 30 years despite the arena being located on another planet lol

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The locational benefit for fans depends on where they live. While the Canadian Tire Centre’s Kanata site is derisively referred to as “the middle of nowhere,” it’s superbly convenient for people in the western suburbs.

No shit.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Once the rink moves downtown, people will have to rely on the LRT. That might be fine, depending on the LRT’s ability to handle the crush of people leaving the rink at the same time.

Good thing people can also drive downtown on the wide parkways that lead directly to where the arena will be.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

That has been a challenge for the Ottawa RedBlacks and their OC Transpo game-day service. Getting to Lansdowne is easy, but getting on a bus home requires patience and the crowd-evading skills of a football running back.

Despite this the RBs always draw well for crowds - regardless of whether or not they're good or bad on the field. Can we see the difference this has on audience capture?

Part of living and being in a city is understanding that sometimes you might have to stand in line for 10 minutes. Downtown isn't your suburb where you park your car ten feet from the door.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

On balance, the new arena will be a plus for a downtown that sorely needs one. It will not, however, be a salvation. The downtown needs to find a new purpose and what that might be is far from clear. A redeveloped LeBreton will add much needed green space and could be an interesting place to live. That’s good, but it won’t do much to revive what’s left of our downtown.

His entire argument against this idea is that the arena won't be in Kanata anymore and that the arena may have issues - all of which already exist in Kanata and which physically cannot be replicated to the same degree at LeBreton. The bar is so low for building an arena in Ottawa.

Downtown doesn't have that many people? Actually yes it does because it's located in the centre of the CMA. The author also fails to consider that Hull exists in this reality.

People might have to take the LRT? The horror. Good thing the LRT is getting extended to Kanata for the express purpose of getting people to and from their far-flung suburbs.

Weak article.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Now add everyone within a 30mins. walk, bike, or public transit from the arena. Not even driving, just those three.


The author seems to ignore the fact that teams would stay at the Westin at Rideau Centre whenever they could, even though Brookfield is a five minute drive away from the rink in Kanata. Teams show up with at minimum 50 people a night, most of whom make far above national averages for incomes.

And besides, your local hockey team doesn't exist to drive sport tourism. It exists to drive revenue from locals. The tourism and travelling fan stuff is extra.

This is beside the fact that any situation at LeBreton for restaurants or bars is impossible to be worse than the current situation in Kanata, where the arena is surrounded exclusively by car dealerships.


Literally impossible to argue otherwise.


The only three teams in the NHL with attendance issues all suffer from the same problem. Can anyone guess what it is?


This team has existed for 30 years despite the arena being located on another planet lol


No shit.


Good thing people can also drive downtown on the wide parkways that lead directly to where the arena will be.


Despite this the RBs always draw well for crowds - regardless of whether or not they're good or bad on the field. Can we see the difference this has on audience capture?

Part of living and being in a city is understanding that sometimes you might have to stand in line for 10 minutes. Downtown isn't your suburb where you park your car ten feet from the door.


His entire argument against this idea is that the arena won't be in Kanata anymore and that the arena may have issues - all of which already exist in Kanata and which physically cannot be replicated to the same degree at LeBreton. The bar is so low for building an arena in Ottawa.

Downtown doesn't have that many people? Actually yes it does because it's located in the centre of the CMA. The author also fails to consider that Hull exists in this reality.

People might have to take the LRT? The horror. Good thing the LRT is getting extended to Kanata for the express purpose of getting people to and from their far-flung suburbs.

Weak article.

Excellent points all around, and yes, VERY weak article. I especially love the 'A redeveloped LeBreton will add much needed green space' part, as if there isn't hundreds of acres of greenspace all around Lebreton within 20 minutes walking distance. That shows just how out of touch he is. Does Randall Denley live in the burbs and has only seen downtown out his car window?!

[J.OT13]

The death of downtown has been greatly exaggerated. Denley's article, once again, misses the mark.

Quick comment on this quote:

The locational benefit for fans depends on where they live. While the Canadian Tire Centre’s Kanata site is derisively referred to as “the middle of nowhere,” it’s superbly convenient for people in the western suburbs.

I disagree. The current arena is is poorly connected to walking and cycling routes. Those in the west have to drive in with everyone else and get stuck in the same 45 minute jams in the parking lots. The location is convenient for no one.

On his comparison between Stittsville and Somerset Ward; downtown is far denser, and he somehow forgot to add the population of Hull and Kitchissippi Ward right next door, both well connected by bike and transit.

[Dzingle Bells]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Once the rink moves downtown, people will have to rely on the LRT. That might be fine, depending on the LRT’s ability to handle the crush of people leaving the rink at the same time.

oh yeah, because the parking lots and road network is soo good at handling the crush of people leaving the CTC at the same time......

what a tough look for Randall.

[c_speed3108]

We have a deal!

Ottawa Senators, National Capital Commission reach agreement for new arena at LeBreton Flats
Official announcement likely to come Friday afternoon

Author of the article:Bruce Garrioch
Published Sep 20, 2024 • Last updated 4 minutes ago • 2 minute read

The Ottawa Senators are a step closer to making their dream of a downtown arena a reality.

League sources confirmed to Postmedia that the Senators and the National Capital Commission have reached the next stage to build a new rink at LeBreton Flats after the two sides signed a lease agreement on the land located 10 minutes West of Parliament Hill.

The Senators will hold a news conference Friday afternoon at the Canadian Tire Centre to confirm the agreement. The deal came together at the 11th hour with neither side wanting to extend the discussions past Friday’s deadline for a memorandum of understanding to expire.

Yes, this is a historic day for the Senators and the NCC, but be cautioned this is only the first step for Michael Andlauer, who will celebrate his first anniversary as the club’s owner on Saturday. There still is a lot of work ahead before the Senators can even think about putting shovels in the ground.

The deal will also include plans for a district around the rink.

“I think the NCC and the Senators will get to an agreement, but acquiring the land is only the first step,” a source with knowledge of the project said earlier this week. “The second step will be how to pay for it.”

Senators president Cyril Leeder played a lead role in these talks with the NCC, along with Andlauer’s partners, George Armoyan and Paul Paletta, and with Shawn Malhotra of Ottawa’s Claridge Homes.

League sources say the NCC and the Senators made progress on the size of the parcel of land, which would allow for more on-site parking. The Senators know they can’t rely solely on the troubled LRT system for people to get in or out of the arena.

The Senators also want a district around the rink that will make the area a destination for visitors. Leeder has stated they don’t just want people to show up for the game and head home, they want visitors to have the option to have a nice meal or stop for a cold beverage.

Postmedia has also reported that the Senators had concerns about the NCC’s environmental requirements for the rink. The indications are there was also “give and take” where that is concerned, which led to progress.

More to come

[email protected]

[Ottawa Champ]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

We have a deal!

Great news but I must nitpick the first line of the article. What does "10 minutes west of Parliament hill mean? It's normally not 10 minutes by car unless there is more traffic than usual. More than 10 minutes by foot, less than 10 by bike.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Ottawa Champ

Great news but I must nitpick the first line of the article. What does "10 minutes west of Parliament hill mean? It's normally not 10 minutes by car unless there is more traffic than usual. More than 10 minutes by foot, less than 10 by bike.

It's Bruce Garrioch. I wouldn't think too much about how he measured this.

[DTcrawler]

WOW! At the 11th hour we have amazing news! Plenty of work still to be done but this should be a proud day for the Sens and all of Ottawa.

God that was a helpless feeling all morning constantly refreshing my feeds waiting for an announcement of an announcement. I was optimistic considering all signs seems positive for the past week or so, after appearing less promising about a month ago. But you never know, and then the dreadful thought crept in that something would be thrown out at 4pm stating talks had failed.

Yet here we are, another major box ticked on the road to a truly transformative project. I firmly believe once this arena is built, it will completely change the city for the better. It's the anchor we need.

Congrats to all involved. GO SENS GO!

[zzptichka]

Apparently the amount of parking allowed was the main sticking point. On one hand, I hate it, but on the other hand, it shows they are serious, so there's that.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Apparently the amount of parking allowed was the main sticking point. On one hand, I hate it, but on the other hand, it shows they are serious, so there's that.

I'm a little concerned there will be surface parking. I have no concerns with underground parking, and might even be receptive to a modestly sized and well integrated parkade, but surface parking here would be a travesty.

[c_speed3108]

10 acre SALE of land to the Sens. No lease.

No design yet.

Neil Malhotra helped with the negotiation.

Years away from digging.

[YOWflier]

I hate to say I said so, but I always maintained that there was no way this was happening without the team owning the land.

Good news and first step.

[zzptichka]

Well good news is they show commitment by buying the land. Bad news, they can now sit on it forever without building anything...

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Well good news is they show commitment by buying the land. Bad news, they can now sit on it forever without building anything...

There was a question about that. It sounds like there is terms about them (NCC and the Sens) getting there development done on the same timeline-ish. (give or take a year or two)

They want an arena surrounded by vacant land or development beside vacant arena land.

[harls]

Originally Posted by YOWflier

Good news and first step.

Yeah, I agree. Good first step but still a ways to go.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

I'm a little concerned there will be surface parking. I have no concerns with underground parking, and might even be receptive to a modestly sized and well integrated parkade, but surface parking here would be a travesty.

It's hard to make money on underground parking and they need to make money on the parking to make the math work. This isn't really a downtown location so outside of events this isn't bringing in a ton of revenue.

Looks like the NCC folded on everything. More land meaning more parking and they also relaxed some of the environmental requirements.

I know it seems like a stretch to connect the events but I see this as a sign that it's a safe bet Nussbaum runs for mayor. There is now an opening and having this go down would paint him as too anti development anti progress. Now he can point to flexibilty with a genuine partner and paint Sutcliffe as unreasonable.

[bartlebooth]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

I'm a little concerned there will be surface parking. I have no concerns with underground parking, and might even be receptive to a modestly sized and well integrated parkade, but surface parking here would be a travesty.

I'm also concerned but I wonder if it's a short term measure and underground parking is added to towers, etc as the site is built out.

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

I'm a little concerned there will be surface parking. I have no concerns with underground parking, and might even be receptive to a modestly sized and well integrated parkade, but surface parking here would be a travesty.

There's no chance parking will be on surface with only 10 acres to play with. They have 75 acres in Kanata.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by bartlebooth

I'm also concerned but I wonder if it's a short term measure and underground parking is added to towers, etc as the site is built out.

That is what I took from the comments the team made. This is a transitional measure (almost certainly surface parking) that will be in place while the area fully develops. Presumably it will be replaced by underground parking as things are built. I do like that the NCC has committed to a development timeline, so hopefully that will move things along quicker than the one building every 8 years pace that we have seen to date.

I don't think that the parking is essential to making the finances work. Most downtown arenas don't include any parking. The real prize will be the development revenues that come from the land that they own.

[Marshsparrow]

How will people get there? By LRT? By bus? Good luck...