NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum says discussions remain productive as parties work through key elements of arena project.

The Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission are working to make the dream of a new home for the National Hockey League club at LeBreton Flats a reality.

It has been nearly 14 months since the Senators and the NCC reached an agreement for the club to purchase 11 acres at LeBreton Flats to build a new arena.

While the project wasn’t on the agenda at Tuesday’s public board meeting, Tobi Nussbaum, the NCC’s chief executive officer, told the Ottawa Citizen that progress continues to be made behind the scenes.

“There has actually been a lot of progress made,” Nussbaum said in a virtual availability following the meeting. “It’s admittedly not always obvious to the public.

“I can reassure anybody who is worried that the conversations are going well and the meetings continue. It takes time. It’s a complex matter and a complex site. But we continue to feel confident that we’re moving toward eventual shovels in the ground.”

He pointed to an agreement the NCC made with Hydro Ottawa in July to bring “a next-generation low-carbon district energy system to LeBreton Flats.”

“We’re really excited for that and that’s going to include the energy needs for the major events centre, which has a consequence of reducing carbon emissions by about 90%,” Nussbaum said. “That’s the kind of work we are doing at the NCC in regards to the project.”

There was nothing regarding LeBreton on either the public or in camera sessions of the meetings held on Tuesday.

Nussbaum said Senators and NCC officials, who meet regularly, are focused on three key areas:

The Senators and the NCC knew from the outset that the site would require remediation.

The Citizen has reported that Senators owner Michael Andlauer and his partners have agreed to pay $37 million for the 11 acres, but the cleanup will be extensive.

Cyril Leeder told the Citizen in August that 514,000 cubic metres of soil must be removed, most of it contaminated. To put the scale of the project into perspective, it would take an estimated 34,000 dump-truck loads to haul away that amount of soil.

“It’s just getting into the details of how those soils will be removed, how they’ll be treated and who is responsible for what,” Nussbaum said. “That’s one important area that we’re working closely with the hockey club on.”

The Senators and the NCC are hopeful that once the site has been cleaned up, work can begin on the underground parking garage. That won’t happen immediately, but shovels could hit the ground once the area is cleared.

The Senators are working with architects on the design of the arena and the surrounding district. The club has said it hopes to unveil its plans in early 2027.

The Citizen previously has reported that the development will include a hotel, restaurants, bars, public spaces and residential housing. Local developers have suggested there could be six or seven towers surrounding the arena.

Nussbaum has said the NCC wants the area to become a premier destination, with an arena district that serves as a gathering place even when no events are being held.

While that effort is a collaboration between the NCC and the Senators, responsibility for the overall vision rests primarily with the club.

“The design of the major events centre is clearly being led by them and I know they have engaged a team and are working hard on different options,” Nussbaum said.

The club has visited several new arenas across North America to gather ideas. Nussbaum said two of the best examples are UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Leeder said in August that the Senators also hold an option to purchase an additional four acres.

Nussbaum said the NCC wants to finalize the sale of the initial 11 acres before discussing any expansion.

“It’s too early to talk about other parcels of land,” Nussbaum said. “We need to finalize and complete the sale. But certainly, there’s a lot of flexibility and goodwill on both sides.”

The elephant in the room remains financing.

That’s something the Senators continue to work on with their partners.

Nussbaum said the club must first finalize its design before determining the project’s total cost.

“The design is important for the third element, which is squarely something the hockey club is working hard on, and that’s the financing package,” Nussbaum said. “How the design works obviously has a direct impact on the financing plan.”

The new arena in Calgary, scheduled to open in 2027-28, carries a price tag of roughly $1.2 billion.

The project is being funded through a partnership involving the City of Calgary, the Province of Alberta and the owners of the Flames. The province is covering 27% of the cost, while the city is contributing $537 million and the Flames’ ownership group is providing another $356 million.

The Senators have stated publicly that they will not ask City of Ottawa taxpayers to fund the project. In the past, Leeder has pointed to the public-private partnership model used for the Bell Sensplex and Richcraft Sensplex as a possible framework.

The Senators have held several meetings with Indigenous groups to secure a financial agreement, which is paramount to this project.