Ottawa councillor Sean Devine questioned whether Ottawa would be able to continue supporting the PWHL's Ottawa Charge with the reduced seating capacity proposed for their new arena.
Ottawa councillor Sean Devine was not pleased with the timing or content of the latest announcement regarding the Lansdowne 2.0 project, one that includes tearing down the Ottawa Charge's current arena, TD Place, to be replaced by a new, smaller venue.
When the news dropped, Devine felt as though it was done with the intent of reducing feedback and criticism by hiding the announcement itself.
"The easiest way for any government to publicly disclose controversial news is to make the announcement late on a Friday afternoon. And if you can take advantage of doing that on the Friday of a long holiday weekend, even better," Devine wrote in his most recent newsetter on October 15.
"And so it was, late last Friday afternoon, with half the city already shut down for the long Thanksgiving weekend, that the City of Ottawa announced the upcoming Committee and Council meeting dates for Lansdowne 2.0, easily the most controversial and divisive issue that Council will debate during this Term of Council."
The final debate and deliberations for the projected $419 million project will take place October 29, with a separate special council meeting schedule for November 7. While the announced cost is $419 million, audits have shown the project will cost closer to $500 million.
One of the main concerns beyond cost however, is the negative impact the reduced capacity, which has been advertised at 5,500 seated fans and another 500 standing room, will leave thousands of Ottawa Charge fans out in the cold.
"By downgrading the arena capacity from 8,000 to 5,500, how does this help Ottawa keep the PWHL Charge, who regularly sell out the current venue?" Devine questioned.
In their first two seasons the Charge have averaged 7,496 and 6,888 fans, not including playoffs. In their first two seasons, Ottawa drew more than 8,000 fans to TD Place 13 times out of their 28 home dates. Of those 28 dates, the Charge drew under the new 5,500 seated capacity only four times.