In September, The National Capital Commission (NCC) and Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSDI) reached an agreement in principle regarding the sale of land, the first of many steps to bring a new Ottawa Senators arena to LeBreton Flats.
The entire redevelopment project will include a completely reimagined LeBreton Flats, but when it comes to the hockey arena, fans shouldn’t expect to be attending a game at the new Sens’ new home for at least another five seasons.
Cyril Leeder, president and CEO of the Ottawa Senators, told Ottawa Compass the project does not currently have a formal timeline, but establishing one will be in the next steps.
That said, “it is a matter of years before we break ground, not months.”
Establishing the pricing and budget for the new arena is also part of the next phase, Leeder said, and “funding sourcing is a work in progress.” He has previously told the media that he does not expect Ottawa taxpayers to fund the project.
The price tag for the project is likely in a ballpark of about $1.2 billion, though, Leeder said, which is the cost of the most recent NHL building in Calgary. Of that sum, $900 million represents the major event centre and the remaining covers infrastructure, the community rink and other amenities. Leeder suggested a similar cost could apply to the LeBreton project.
The arena is part of the NCC’s LeBreton Flats Master Concept Plan that was approved by the City in April 2021 and involves a 29-hectare site that will house a cultural and entertainment hub, residential community, mixed-use neighbourhood, and a series of park spaces as well as bars, restaurants and on-site parking.
The piece of land sold to the Senators is 10 acres and will house their portion of the Master Concept Plan.
Although the plan has been given the green light, Leeder said the “complicated” project may face some red tape or barriers in the development process that would extend the timeline.
“We are dealing with four levels of government. We are building next to an LRT line on contaminated land. The lands are subject to a claim from Kitigan Zibi of the Algonquin Nation,” explained Leeder. “So we know this is going to be a complex project with a number of hurdles to overcome.”
Bill Leonard is the vice-president of real estate at the NCC, and he said securing the sale of the land to the Senators is the “third piece of the puzzle” in the plan. Construction is already underway on the Library Parcel of the project, which includes a new Central Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, Ādisōke, set to open in 2026.
Earlier this year, the NCC also entered an agreement to lease with Canadian developers Avenue 31 Capital Inc. and Cogir for the development of a portion of the residential community in the Flats District at LeBreton Flats. Following the conclusion of a lease, Avenue 31 Capital Inc. and Cogir would develop four parcels of land within the Flats to create a new sustainable and inclusive residential-focused community offering more than 900 units.
When it comes to the arena, the NCC will act as “custodians” and “partners” to make sure that “the public realm, the fan experience, the public experience, is all top notch.”
“At the end of the day, we become partners in what the experience looks like,” he said.
As the Senators begins to conduct its due diligence, Leonard said “the ball’s in the Senators’ court right now.”
“They need to make sure that all of their Is are dotted and Ts crossed. But from the NCC’s perspective, we have enabled the project to move forward to this point,” he explained. “So there’s really nothing that we can control that will derail the project at this point.”
The sale is the result of two years of talks regarding a new home for the Senators and comes after a change of ownership for the team; a group led by Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer bought the NHL team for $950 million in 2023.
Negotiations are ongoing between the NCC and the Algonquin Nation to ensure the Nation “secures short and long-term benefits,” a news release said.
