The Ottawa Senators and NCC continue push for a deal at LeBreton Flats

Senators president Cyril Leeder has 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.

Published Sep 19, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Owner Michael Andlauer and the Ottawa Senators are hoping for a move to LeBreton Flats. Photo by JULIE OLIVER /POSTMEDIA

The Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission were huddled in discussions Thursday to try to get a lease agreement at LeBreton Flats across the finish line

As the 11th hour approached with a deadline set for Friday, the key stakeholders in this deal went radio silent, which is a potential sign that they’re closing in on an agreement with a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2022 set to expire.

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Our understanding is that talks were ongoing Thursday.

Neither the Senators or representatives of the NCC want to extend the deadline. They don’t believe the optics of negotiating any longer would be good after already extending it for one year. Yes, they will if they are close, but it’s not the preference.

Both know that even though a lease agreement isn’t the last step, it has to be done if this project is going to become reality. The devil is in the details, but if this step is completed then the hard work will begin on how this rink will be paid for and how different levels of government will be involved.

To get to the next step, they have to get by this one and there’s willingness on both sides, but there were still hurdles to clear in the discussions as they tried to put the pen to paper.

A representative of the NCC didn’t return a request for comment Thursday, but did tell Postmedia in an email Tuesday “the talks were ongoing.” The organization wouldn’t say whether it would extend the deadline if there was momentum in talks and the framework of a deal was close.

Owner Michael Andlauer told Postmedia last week, “I think we’ll get there,” in discussions with the NCC for the parcel of land, which is located 10 minutes west of Parliament Hill and is served by two light rail transit stations.

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A deal would be a nice way for Andlauer, who will be in town this weekend to attend the club’s intra-squad game at the Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his purchase of the Senators on Sept. 21, 2023 from the estate of the late Eugene Melnyk.

Both sides are showing flexibility. The Senators signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a seven-acre piece of land on Albert Street between Preston Street and the City Centre, just west of Ottawa’s new central library, which is now under construction.

Senators president Cyril Leeder has 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.

The Senators first started pursuing a move to LeBreton in 2015 and this is the second time the NCC has entertained the idea of having the National Hockey League team as a major tenant on the land.

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