Kingsway property in Sudbury reemerges as business park

Construction has begun on the long-debated Kingsway Entertainment District or KED business park.

After high-profile battles years ago to turn property on the Kingsway into an entertainment area, the KED is now slated to be developed into a new business in Greater Sudbury.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this week to launch the Kingsway Employment District, with a waste management company the first to move into the site.

The land owned by Sudbury developer Dario Zulich was once slated for an entertainment complex, but now has new life.

“It’s super exciting to start this development park, as with Dario and his team,” said Tracy Black, the area vice-president of Waste Management Canada.

“We’ve been at this for four and a half years to find the right space. And Dario knew exactly what we were looking for. And we’ve been able to reach an agreement pretty early.”

Zulich said the company was looking for industrial property within the city limits, making the site a perfect spot for their needs.

“They’re the first domino, and we needed that first dollar to start,” he said.

“And being the first domino, I believe all other kinds of business are going to come, as well.”

The Kingsway property is well known in Sudbury. At one time, it was to be the location for a new $100 million arena, alongside a casino and hotel.

But the then Kingsway Entertainment District was bogged down in legal battles from 2017-2022. Eventually, a new city council decided to build a $200 million arena downtown.

Since then, council has agreed to a cost-sharing agreement to build a new road at the KED to spur the development of an industrial area.

“It’s a shared cost,” Mayor Paul Lefebvre said.

“Taxpayers are paying around 20 per cent of what the road costs instead of 100 per cent of what the road would cost.”

Zulich said he’s optimistic about the future of the business park once the road is completed in December, allowing access to WM and the other businesses, including hotels and restaurants.

“We’ve finally got all the approvals ... and I think there’s so much demand out here for industrial space that buildings will be popping up everywhere and creating jobs,” he said.

“And it’s going to be great for our community.”

Zulich said the KED business park is still developing.

Lefebvre said it will bring in many new employment opportunities to the city once the business park fills up.