City of Ottawa to issue construction tender today to build new 5,500 seat arena, north-side stands at Lansdowne

The approved concept plan for the Lansdowne 2.0 project. (City of Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa will take the next step in the Lansdowne 2.0 project on Monday, issuing a tender to build the new 5,500 seat arena and a new north-side stands at TD Place.

The city will begin accepting bids from companies to build the new arena to replace the aging Civic Centre and a new north-side stands in the football stadium in the second phase of the Lansdowne Park redevelopment.

Under the plan, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) and the city would tear down the Civic Centre and build a new 5,500 seat arena on the east side of the football stadium, and a new north-side stands for the football stadium. Under the partnership between the city and OSEG, city taxpayers would cover the cost of building the new arena and stadium stands.

The north-side stands, and the Civic Centre were built in 1967.

The City of Ottawa has estimated the price-tag for the new 5,500-seat event centre and a north-side stands at $419 million. Last June, a report from the auditor general warned construction cost estimates could be understated by $73.4 million for the new stadium and north-side stands.

In January, the city released new renderings of the event centre and north-side stands.

Proposed designs

“The proposed designs…showcase exciting upgrades, including innovative architecture, improved energy efficiency with LEED certification, and enhanced accessible seating,” the city says.

The images show the outside of the football stadium and the north-side stands. There’s no roof on the new north-side stands to cover fans from the weather.

Earlier this spring, the city accepted bids for the air rights for the space above Lansdowne.

Council will vote in the fall to proceed with the construction of the new 5,500 seat arena and the new north-side stands at Lansdowne.

Ottawa Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Mark Goudie told TSN 1200 last week that construction on the new arena could begin by the end of the year.

Roof on north-side stands

There is no roof planned for the new north-side stands at Lansdowne.

Goudie told TSN 1200 that the city and OSEG are looking at the option “some day.”

“We’re looking at options down the road,” Goudie said. “Whether we can maintain the ability to have a roof on the north-side. I wouldn’t say the chances of that for the first phase of the redevelopment are great. I know it’s important to people so we’re trying to determine how we might accomplish that some day.”

New residential construction

The Lansdowne 2.0 plan includes the construction of two residential towers next to the new north-side stands at TD Place.

According to the plans, the Lansdowne 2.0 project will be built in three phases. Construction of the new event centre will run from until 2027, while the new north side stands will be completed by mid-2029. The city says construction on the residential development will run from 2030 to 2034.