News Article: RendezVous LeBreton plan dead, but there are still places Melnyk could build an arena

[Smash88]

Why are we talking about taking it out of Kanata just to move it to the other end of the city?

It has to be built downtown.

If it goes east of downtown, even with LRT that is a hell of a commute for people in the west, if they aren't building adequate parking.

 

[SPF6ty9]

Why are we talking about taking it out of Kanata just to move it to the other end of the city?

It has to be built downtown.

If it goes east of downtown, even with LRT that is a hell of a commute for people in the west, if they aren't building adequate parking.

And if they did build adequate parking, that section of highway after the split is a nightmare with traffic. It should be expanded beyond 2 lanes as is let alone adding the Sens there.

 

[branch]

Lebreton was the only viable option for Ottawa. Not being able to get something done, even though both sides wanted to get something done but still couldn't, will be the death knell of the team unfortunately.

 

[GrantLemons]

Why are we talking about taking it out of Kanata just to move it to the other end of the city?

It has to be built downtown.

If it goes east of downtown, even with LRT that is a hell of a commute for people in the west, if they aren't building adequate parking.

Exactly. It's just creating the same problem we have now except for people in the west end.

IMO the Sens are either going to Lebreton (somehow, new ownership/whatever), or they're going nowhere. The whole "Eugene is exploring alternative locations" is such a charade. If he couldn't make Lebreton work, he's not going to be able to make it work anywhere else.

 

[BonkTastic]

The whole "Eugene is exploring alternative locations" is such a charade. If he couldn't make Lebreton work, he's not going to be able to make it work anywhere else.

Oh man, so much this.

The problem with Lebreton wasn't the location. The location is great. Ideal, even. The problem with Lebreton was Eugene Melnyk.

 

[topshelf15]

Exactly. It's just creating the same problem we have now except for people in the west end.

IMO the Sens are either going to Lebreton (somehow, new ownership/whatever), or they're going nowhere. The whole "Eugene is exploring alternative locations" is such a charade. If he couldn't make Lebreton work, he's not going to be able to make it work anywhere else.

Agree totally,he hasnt got the money ...Cant see anybody buying this complete load of BS

 

[Micklebot]

So Kanata East, makes sense....say goodbye to the Ottawa valley fans, Barrhaven and Kanata, probably take a slice out of Nepean too. It has to be central or might as well leave it in Kanata

Seems like a lateral move.

If they're going all the way out to almost Blackburn Hamlet, then they might as well just stay where they are.

Why are we talking about taking it out of Kanata just to move it to the other end of the city?

It has to be built downtown.

If it goes east of downtown, even with LRT that is a hell of a commute for people in the west, if they aren't building adequate parking.

T'was in jest. Though i will say pineview has significantly better transit access and is about half the the distance from downtown when compared to the CTC. You guys are acting like Gloucester is Cumberland...

Point about the 174 is valid though. But at least there is an equaly bad alternate route via Innes lol.

Next arena should be downtown. Anything else would be a failure imo.

 

[GrantLemons]

Oh man, so much this.

The problem with Lebreton wasn't the location. The location is great. Ideal, even. The problem with Lebreton was Eugene Melnyk.

It is the location. It always was, even when the team was born.

The city was even tilling the land for Eugene ffs. All of the rich guys involved were already writing cheques and ready to throw down. It's truly mind blowing that Eugene didn't get it done.

 

[topshelf15]

It is the location. It always was, even when the team was born.

The city was even tilling the land for Eugene ffs. All of the rich guys involved were already writing cheques and ready to throw down. It's truly mind blowing that Eugene didn't get it done.

He is broke,there can be no question of this now...

 

[supsens]

Oh man, so much this.

The problem with Lebreton wasn't the location. The location is great. Ideal, even. The problem with Lebreton was Eugene Melnyk.

Lol the problem is how NHL teams do business most of the time, if the city don’t build it, no one will, Melnyk or not. Bettman already said the NHL loves to work with cities and build rinks together like they did with Edmonton and Tampa... Plus that arena sold out fine before so It’s not really a big deal. They tried to get a free arena it didn’t work out, time to move on. They still have a place to play

 

[topshelf15]

Lol the problem is how NHL teams do business most of the time, if the city don’t build it, no one will, Melnyk or not. Bettman already said the NHL loves to work with cities and build rinks together like they did with Edmonton and Tampa... Plus that arena sold out fine before so It’s not really a big deal. They tried to get a free arena it didn’t work out, time to move on. They still have a place to play

Lol ,so more EM crying poor and blaming fans it is then....

 

[GrantLemons]

Lol the problem is how NHL teams do business most of the time, if the city don’t build it, no one will, Melnyk or not. Bettman already said the NHL loves to work with cities and build rinks together like they did with Edmonton and Tampa... Plus that arena sold out fine before so It’s not really a big deal. They tried to get a free arena it didn’t work out, time to move on. They still have a place to play

Go lookup how much city money is being used for the Islanders new arena, or Seattle's huge reno.

Get real. Every situation is unique. This one was especially unique because of the scale of the development around Lebreton and how much Eugene stood to profit greatly from it if he had the resources to make it work. I bet Edmonton and Tampa would have killed to have a deal like that lying in front of them.

Also, get out of there with "time to move on". We are literally in a thread discussing the arena.

 

[supsens]

He is broke,there can be no question of this now...

I thought the team made billions of trillions? A simple swipe of the pen and paper loses turn into pure profits, Why not just build it out of stacks of hundies

 

[topshelf15]

I thought the team made billions of trillions? A simple swipe of the pen and paper loses turn into pure profits, Why not just build it out of stacks of hundies

Well seeing as EM only plan to encourage growth is him crying and blaming the fanbase,which is about the only thing he has done here for a decade...Why change a thing ??I expect the whine to boosted to fever pitch by him

 

[harrisb]

Lol the problem is how NHL teams do business most of the time, if the city don’t build it, no one will, Melnyk or not. Bettman already said the NHL loves to work with cities and build rinks together like they did with Edmonton and Tampa... Plus that arena sold out fine before so It’s not really a big deal. They tried to get a free arena it didn’t work out, time to move on. They still have a place to play

What's really funny about this comment is that Eugene was in essence getting a free arena only through an alternate means (being handed a multi billion dollar development which would fund the arena). He did manage to get even more greedy and mess it up though, I really hope that Ruddy stays strong on his lawsuit and follows through, this will be amazing to watch.

 

[supsens]

Go lookup how much city money is being used for the Islanders new arena, or Seattle's huge reno.

Get real. Every situation is unique. This one was especially unique because of the scale of the development around Lebreton and how much Eugene stood to profit greatly from it if he had the resources to make it work. I bet Edmonton and Tampa would have killed to have a deal like that lying in front of them.

First you got it backwards EM was looking for the Edmonton/Tampa deal. And you bet every single situation is unique. Seattle is on the hunt for a NBA team and both those arenas will have tons of full times that have nothing to do with hockey, and EM wasnt going to make sheet for profits, 20 years of work to hopefully pay off what would be a 15-20 year old arena by the time it’s done, Ruddy on the other hand...that guy was looking pure profit

 

[supsens]

What's really funny about this comment is that Eugene was in essence getting a free arena only through an alternate means (being handed a multi billion dollar development which would fund the arena). He did manage to get even more greedy and mess it up though, I really hope that Ruddy stays strong on his lawsuit and follows through, this will be amazing to watch.

What’s funny is not understanding he was to pay for the arena out of pocket in phase 1, how on earth is that free? It’s free because now he has to work for the next 20 years trying to make the money to pay off the rink? Everything is free by that logic.
Ya spend your own money, then start a new job work for 20 years you might pay it off.. yup free

 

[topshelf15]

What’s funny is not understanding he was to pay for the arena out of pocket in phase 1, how on earth is that free? It’s free because now he has to work for the next 20 years trying to make the money to pay off the rink? Everything is free by that logic.
Ya spend your own money, then start a new job work for 20 years you might pay it off.. yup free

We didnt even get new jerseys....But we got whine by the boatload

 

[topshelf15]

Who needs an arena,who needs a marketing department or an actual NHL front office...We can just be the worse run team in the league,then wonder why we have no fan or corporate support

 

[Knave]

If he can't build in LeBreton because it's too expensive and he's too cheap, he can't build anywhere without the taxpayer footing the entire bill in a one sided deal where we get screwed.

Any rumor they're seriously looking at other locations is a falsehood to try to look better in the community. Those locations don't have space for thousands of condo purchases and retail leasing space to help subsidize an arena.

 

[Engineer]

What’s funny is not understanding he was to pay for the arena out of pocket in phase 1, how on earth is that free? It’s free because now he has to work for the next 20 years trying to make the money to pay off the rink? Everything is free by that logic.
Ya spend your own money, then start a new job work for 20 years you might pay it off.. yup free

Poor guy, getting some of the most valuable land in the country for free, the ability to develop said land with a highly successful development company, and expecting to pay for the initial construction of the arena that he would own, what a terrible deal.

 

[harrisb]

What’s funny is not understanding he was to pay for the arena out of pocket in phase 1, how on earth is that free? It’s free because now he has to work for the next 20 years trying to make the money to pay off the rink? Everything is free by that logic.
Ya spend your own money, then start a new job work for 20 years you might pay it off.. yup free

Courtesy of Global News: "The team is paying $166 million. Some of that is in cash, but most of it comes from rent payments to the city. The team will retain all the revenue from the operation of the building. Katz, in turn, has promised to keep the Oilers in Edmonton for at least the next 35 years."

Eugene was to use his portion of the profits to fund the arena. Eugene's alternate plan was that he would pay zero rent to the owner of the new rink but pay upkeep while retaining revenues.

How are either of these options even remotely similar? Virtually any other owner with deep enough pockets, DCDLS included, would have jumped at that opportunity. DCDLS was even willing to rent an arena to Eugene OR buy the team, for some reason I don't believe those very smart people looked at this as a money loosing venture. It was simply a cash flow issue and an awareness that like most things Eugene will mess this up

 

[topshelf15]

If he can't build in LeBreton because it's too expensive and he's too cheap, he can't build anywhere without the taxpayer footing the entire bill in a one sided deal where we get screwed.

Any rumor they're seriously looking at other locations is a falsehood to try to look better in the community. Those locations don't have space for thousands of condo purchases and retail leasing space to help subsidize an arena.

Yep,but it shows EM commitment to growing the franchise.....God bless him and the tireless work he has done in his 10 or so years here ,to building a brighter future for the team....Lol

 

[harrisb]

The net of it all is that Eugene couldn't afford a subsidized arena at Lebreton he sure can't afford one anywhere else. Considering Mayor Watson just renewed for another 4 years and how well those two get along you could put the timeline for any public money someone about 7-8 years out in a best case scenario (4 years for Watson's term, several years of lobbying, several years of negotiations). That all hinges on a new mayor and council who somehow falls in love with the business practices and public sentiment around Eugene, that sound highly likely

Did I mention that timeline doesn't include land acquisition, zoning, permits and of course construction.

 

[supsens]

Courtesy of Global News: "The team is paying $166 million. Some of that is in cash, but most of it comes from rent payments to the city. The team will retain all the revenue from the operation of the building. Katz, in turn, has promised to keep the Oilers in Edmonton for at least the next 35 years."

Eugene was to use his portion of the profits to fund the arena. Eugene's alternate plan was that he would pay zero rent to the owner of the new rink but pay upkeep while retaining revenues.

How are either of these options even remotely similar? Virtually any other owner with deep enough pockets, DCDLS included, would have jumped at that opportunity. DCDLS was even willing to rent an arena to Eugene OR buy the team, for some reason I don't believe those very smart people looked at this as a money loosing venture. It was simply a cash flow issue and an awareness that like most things Eugene will mess this up

And the team gets the money from naming rights and also gets 2 million a year in advertising supplied by the city, national and international so that’s cash not a billboard, 2 million +naming rights is going to be more then the 4 million a year they spend on paying for the arena. So in reality they are being paid to play there. EM said he wouldn’t take the naming rights if he didn’t have to pay rent so the deal really isn’t all that different, in fact it’s probably lesser then the Edmonton deal because he would not be getting paid to play there
For some reason Ruddy decided the sens can’t have the millions a year in naming rights and there is zero reason for him to take that stance, he got greedy with someone who was being greedy and it was a stupid idea to put the two together, if the people in charge of the land spent less time trying to get Ruddy paid things might have not been so messy