Senators' Group Selected as Preferred Bidder for LeBreton Flats Land Parcel
This morning the NCC announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ottawa Senators and their partners toward the development of a major event centre at LeBreton Flats.
From the official press release:
CSDI is proposing to build an NHL hockey arena and events venue surrounded by mixed-use development, located on Albert Street between Preston Street and City Centre Avenue. This site was identified for a potential major facility in the 2021 LeBreton Flats Master Concept Plan, reflecting the feedback of the more than 5,000 people who participated in public consultations during the creation of the Master Concept Plan. CSDI’s concept for an arena facility is still in the very early stages, and will be developed further over the coming months.
The MOU does not guarantee the Senators a downtown home, but it does represent the first step of progress after the initial LeBreton Flats redevelopment plan spun in the mud and culminated in countersuits between John Ruddy and Eugene Melnyk.
Today’s announcement represents great news on many fronts. The team is obviously now one step closer to a modern home at a desirable downtown location. It gives the City and NCC the engine that will be the focus of LeBreton’s redevelopment strategy. As much as I empathize with all the long-standing season seat holders who live in the west end and may give pause to making the commute downtown, there is no question this move gives the organization an opportunity to maximize its revenue potential and be accessible to the greater part of the city. The new location offers the organization an opportunity to reinvigorate its brand and reengage fans who grew depressed or apathetic to the team’s direction and stewardship. Perhaps most interestingly, it certainly sounds like whatever hindrances prevented the organization from working well with others is no longer an issue.
It just provides so many transformative opportunities for the organization, city, and its people, it’s such an exciting time.
So, who are these partners?
Sterling Project Development (SPD) is a company started by the Wilpon family that used to own the New York Mets. More specifically, SPD is a real estate development and advisory firm based out of New York. According to their website, “SPD is currently involved in approximately $24 billion (hard cost) worth of development projects across its advisory portfolio.”
Populous is the architect for the project that created the rendering that adorns the top of this post. The firm has many large-scale sports projects within its portfolio. In terms of stadiums, Populous designed MLB’s Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Oracle Park and Target Field. They recently designed Tottenham’s new stadium in north London. For hockey, Populous has been responsible for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, and the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Tipping Point Sports is a sports advisory firm. According to the firm’s site, the company has “advised team owners, municipalities, investors and developers on more than 150 sports-related transactions, including franchise acquisitions, stadium, arena and mixed development projects and financings and has raised over $7 billion for his clients.”
Finally, the last partner is Live Nation, one of the world’s largest event and ticketing companies. Interestingly, the company has been involved in some recent venue construction. They not only helped build a new arena in Cardiff, but they have also partnered to help build a 22,000-seat venue in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
No price points or timelines have been attached to the project yet and no one has explained how the arena will be funded, but the important takeaways from just looking at the projects are that these groups worked together before on very significant sports ventures. But, not only have they worked together, these projects get realized.
In that sense, I’m not really concerned with how this thing is getting financed. Thanks to the credibility of the partners involved, it feels very reassuring to sit here today and believe that it is inevitable that the team will have a downtown home in the very near future.
Looking at the design of the arena itself in the rendering, there is no guarantee that this will be the finished product. The first renderings of the Palladium are a stark contrast to what was eventually built on the south side of the highway in Kanata.
Nevertheless, there are some visual concepts that are neat. The wood detailing at the top of the rink and inside the glass windows resemble columns that pay homage to the Roman theme that the Senators embraced when they entered the league.
With no above-ground parking, the site probably will probably allow fans the opportunity to park underground or ideally, fans will be encouraged to take public transit. Considering how most of the season takes place during the cold winter months if the arena can tie in with the LRT and offer fans a covered access to and from the arena from the main line that’s a win.
When the weather warms and the postseason arrives, it’s going to be such a fantastic game day experience to be out in that area enjoying the walk into the rink. One of the biggest detriments to having the rink in Kanata has been the lack of that experience. With an auto park, massive parking lots, and bland commercial buildings, there is not an opportunity to create a good game day vibe that goes beyond basic tailgating.
With a blank slate, the optimism is abound regarding what the Senators and the city can build here.
Now, if they could just announce #alfietothehall next, we’d be good.