Senators agree to economic partnership with Algonquin Anishabe Nation ahead of new arena plans
Steps toward a new arena in the nation’s capital continue to be made.
On Thursday, Senators Sports & Entertainment, the governing body of the Ottawa Senators, and the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation announced plans for a long-term economic partnership based on the developing plans at LeBreton Flats, the future site for the Senators’ new arena in downtown Ottawa.
The plan is for the two parties to work cohesively to create a strong place in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, while properly recognizing the “deep cultural and historical significance of these lands to the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation.”
In a release, the collaboration is to help bring communities together while respecting the past, present, and future of the land in LeBreton Flats. There aren’t any details of what the partnership will entail, as the Memorandum of Understanding has yet to be finalized.
The move to LeBreton Flats has been discussed at great length over the years, as the desire for the Senators to leave their current home in suburban Kanata for downtown Ottawa has grown in recent years. Last August, the National Capital Commission (NCC) and Capital Sports Development Inc., run by the Senators, announced the signing of a purchase and sale agreement for land in LeBreton Flats, with reports stating that the purchase was around $30 million.
While blueprints have yet to be released, the idea for a new home for Ottawa’s team won’t just include an arena, but an entertainment and leisure space that has become the norm in new arenas in North America, like UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, as well as Scotia Place, the future home of the Calgary Flames.
The Senators have called the Canadian Tire Centre—formerly known as the Palladium, Corel Centre, and Scotiabank Place—since 1996. The main problem for fans is that the arena is 24 kilometers away from downtown Ottawa, a criticism for many over the years, especially during the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2016, when the team struggled to sell out home playoff games.