No Lansdowne, No LeBreton: uOttawa Prof
University of Ottawa Professor Evan Potter is concerned about the timing for a P3 between the city and the Ottawa Senators for a LeBreton Flats arena.
This from X:
2/4 If there ever was a good time to NOT be talking about P3 deals in public with @_MarkSutcliffe it would probably be now before the Lansdowne vote. But Mr. Leeder, you’ve put it on #ottcity agenda–again. Why?@ShawnMenard1 @tm_kavanagh @WilsonLo24 @bpellerin @laine_johnson1
— Evan H. Potter ?? ?? (@EvanHPotter) September 6, 2025
4/4 Finally, I go back to your timing — during #Ottcity budget negotiations, $10.8 billion infrastructure deficit, transit woes, & $500M++ Lansdowne vote and you’re doing more than musing about an arena P3. Well, let’s get this over with…where’s your proposal for Council?
— Evan H. Potter ?? ?? (@EvanHPotter) September 6, 2025
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The public private partnership between the owners of the various Sensplexes and the city was quite simple, and low risk to the city. The debt financing on the arenas included a variant of a ‘stop loss’ guarantee wherein the city agreed to rent ice time for resale to the public (local hockey, ringette, figure skating clubs), if the arena rentals were below a specified level. In essence the city ‘guaranteed’ that arena rental revenues would not fall below a set dollar level. That guarantee was never called on because the Sensplex arenas operated at a profit.
The Sensplex arenas filled a void in the market place. A void that was created by the various municipalities when they decided not to add sufficient recreational facilities to match the growth in the population. A decision to spend the development fees in a manner not entirely consistent with the formula used to determine the development fees.
That the Sensplexes out perform, at an operational level, city arenas is without question. Routine ice maintenance (zamboni) deliver far superior results. Dressing rooms are cleared of detritus between uses. Concession stands are open during arena hours. The difference being that the Sensplex arena managers care … in contrast to what we see at many of the city run arenas.
None of this looks even remotely like the financial disaster that was Lansdowne 1.0, let alone Lansdowne 2.x.
So, before one trashes P3s, I suggest that you do your homework.
P 3’s cost us money. The only group that gets returns is the Private group.
We’re in the hole in the city. If the private consortiums want all this, let them put up the cash. We can’t afford to fund this and OC Transpo(as bad as it is). I’m tired of being told this is good for the city. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A GOOD IDEA.