In a thrilling turn of events, the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators have managed to secure an agreement to construct a brand new arena right in the heart of downtown Ottawa. The news was met with excitement and anticipation as the team and the National Capital Commission came together on Friday to officially announce the deal.
The Senators will be purchasing a 10-acre plot of land at the downtown LeBreton Flats site, where they plan to develop a state-of-the-art multi-purpose facility that will feature an NHL arena. This monumental announcement came just in time, as the team was up against a tight deadline to finalize the agreement.
While the price tag for the deal remains a mystery, the Senators are thrilled to have overcome the obstacles that stood in their way. The opportunity to purchase the land, rather than lease it, and to expand their original six-acre offer to 10 acres has paved the way for an exciting new chapter in the team’s history.
“It’s a great first step, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us here,” said Senators’ president and CEO Cyril Leeder. “It allows the heavy lifting to go forward now,” he added, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Leeder emphasized that there is still much to be done, including the crucial steps of designing and costing the new facility. “I know it’s years, not months, before a shovel goes in the ground,” he admitted, acknowledging the long road ahead.
Since 1996, the Senators have called the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata home. But with this groundbreaking agreement, a new era is set to begin for the team in downtown Ottawa. The anticipation is building as fans eagerly await the next chapter in the Senators’ storied history.