The arena is viewed as an economic generator.
The owner of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators franchise, Michael Andlauer, may be the only owner in professional sports waiting for decisions to be made on whether to proceed to build two arenas. Andlauer is working with the National Capital Commission in an attempt to build an arena near Parliament Hill in Ottawa for his NHL business. He is also seeking a new building in Brantford, Ontario for his Ontario Hockey League’s Brantford Bulldogs business. Brantford elected officials have decided to move forward with plans to build a new entertainment hub and arena. The arena’s cost is expected to be $140 million Canadian or slightly more than $100 million US.
The arena will seat 5,000 people which is probably the right size for Brantford which has a population of around 105,000. Brantford is a little more than an hour by car from Toronto. Wayne Gretzky was born and grew up in Brantford. Brantford is also known as Telephone City as Alexander Graham Bell in 1906 confirmed that in Brantford “the telephone problem was solved, and it was solved at my father’s home.” How to fund the arena needs to be solved but Brantford elected officials will consider a property tax hike near that planned arena. The city hopes to also sell the naming rights to the building as a way of funding the construction. The city also wants a 10-year commitment from Andlauer to use the building. Brantford elected officials are hoping that the building will serve as an economic catalyst and a destination area, which is the usual statement from politicians who want a sports venue built. Meanwhile in Ottawa, there is no timeline to build an arena for Andlauer’s NHL business. There needs to be a soil test, a transportation study and a zoning plan completed to get the project going.
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Brantford Bulldogs
