Senators keeping their options open on a downtown arena

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There’s still a lot of moving parts as the Ottawa Senators study a move to a downtown arena.

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While the Senators are planning upgrades to the Canadian Tire Centre because they don’t expect to leave Kanata before the 2029-30 campaign, the club is keeping its options for a site for a new rink open.

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Talks between Capital Sports Development Inc., the Senators’ parent company in the project, the National Capital Commission to build an events centre at LeBreton Flats continue on a bi-weekly basis after memorandum of understand (MOU) was extended to Sept. 2024.

The NCC wanted to grant the request by owner Michael Andlauer, who completed his purchase of the club on Sept. 21, 2023, to have more time to study the MOU signed in June 2022 when the Senators were given preferred bidder status to get a lease agreement in place.

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Since Andlauer signed on the dotted line, the talks between the NCC and the Senators have gained steam and both sides remain confident they’ll come to come to an agreement, but the club is also studying alternatives sites that have been mentioned by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

It’s a file that’s at the forefront for Senators’ president Cyril Leeder, chief operating officer Erin Crowe, VP of business development Chris Phillips and the development committee that Andlauer formed within his ownership group when he held his first board meeting.

The committee includes Senators alternate governors George Armoyan and Paul Paletta, along with Shawn Malhotra of Ottawa-based Claridge Homes. All three bring experience in real estate and business development so they’ll help Andlauer set the course for the arena’s new home along with the club’s senior leaders.

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Phillips told Postmedia in an interview Thursday this is a file the organization is spending a lot of time on because the Senators are motivated to get a new rink across the finish line.

“Internal discussions, meeting with the NCC, speaking to the important stakeholders that are going to have an important role in a new building,” said Phillips. “It’s progressing and that’s a positive that’s the case.

“Everybody would love to see everything go faster and see it signed on the dotted line and get going. But the fact that there’s progress and everybody involved wants to see it happen, which is a huge piece of not having opposition to it, it’s just doing what’s right for everybody involved.”

The Senators remain focused on trying to get a deal done at LeBreton, but Phillips played a key role in the sale of the franchise and he had a chance to visit with the seven groups that visited the city during the due-diligence stage and most felt the site at LeBreton isn’t big enough.

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The original bid called for a rink and hotel on seven acres located about 10 minutes west of Parliament Hill. Tobi Nussbaum, the CEO of the NCC, has indicated there is room for flexibility on the size of the site and it’s believed that’s part of the negotiations between the two sides at the moment.

Sutcliffe has said if the Senators want to go to LeBreton then he has nothing against the idea. But city staff have spoken with club officials about the possibility of some options downtown that may work for the Senators and help revitalize the core.

Phillips noted the Senators need to keep every possibility on the table in case they can’t get a deal in place at LeBreton, which is why the ideas from the city have given the organization pause for thought.

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“We’d be foolish not to (think about downtown) just because a deal at LeBreton isn’t done,” Phillips said. “We’re still pushing forward on that, but if that wasn’t to happen for whatever reason, then you need options. That’s a benefit just to be able to get to the finish line wherever that is.

“The ultimate goal, as Michael Andlauer has talked about many times, is we’re doing it for the fans. The goal is to do the best we can to find the best location with a state-of-the-art building. We have to look at all the factors and all the areas so that it makes most sense for our fans that are coming.”

The Senators are doing their homework on this front. Andlauer, the club’s management and ownership partners toured Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle last month. They’ve also been to UBS Arena in Long Island, Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton and the Little Caesars rink in Detroit.

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It’s interesting to listen to Phillips speak about this file because he’s deeply invested, he’s up to speed on the project and he wants what is best for a city. He suited up for 1,179 games with Ottawa  but it’s neat that he’s immersed himself in this next phase of his career.

“Since I came back into this position, we were already the preferred bidder on ‘LeBreton 2.0’ and I was brought right into it,” said Phillips. “We all heard (Daniel Alfredsson’s) comment that he wanted a meaningful role and I kind of feel the same way on the business side.

“To be involved in everything going on, I love it. Everything is new and exciting for me. I’m learning something new every day. Having Cyril Leeder and Erin Crowe to learn from has been invaluable.”

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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