Ottawa Senators, National Capital Commission reach agreement for new arena at LeBreton Flats

Official announcement likely to come Friday afternoon

Published Sep 20, 2024  •  Last updated 4 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

A view of LeBreton Flats from a helicopter. Photo by Tony Caldwell /POSTMEDIA

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.

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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.

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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

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