The city staff evaluation of two competing stadium proposals seem to have done little to clarify things, but city councillors all seem to agree that Lansdowne Park is in shambles and a decision must be made about it.
Shad Qadri, the councillor for Stittsville-Kanata West where a 20,000-seat soccer stadium proposed by Senators Sports and Entertainment would be located, said more details on the cost related to Frank Clair Stadium and the Ottawa Civic Centre are needed, but he does not believe it was the best location for a stadium.
Qadri said he’d like to see if they could improve the SSE proposal.
“Basically the reason it got knocked off the shelf, in a sense, is because of the business plan,” he said.
River Ward Coun. Maria McRae said the city should move a new stadium to the top of the priority list.
“This is an opportunity for us to bring the private sector in, in a way that we haven’t seen in two decades,” she said.
“They’ve got tenants coming for these stadiums right away.”
MLS
• Major League Soccer is looking to add two more teams to begin play as early as the 2012 season.
