Now that city council has chosen The Kingsway as the spot where the Nickel City’s new event centre will be built, it’s time to get the project moving as quickly as possible, the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce said in a statement issued today.
The chamber congratulated city council on selecting a site and the True North Strong group for being selected.
“This project has the potential to transform Greater Sudbury and bring substantial economic growth to the community,” the chamber said.
It’s not time for the city to rest on its laurels, the statement reads.
“We are pleased to see council make a decision on a site for the new arena,” said Tracy Nutt, chair of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce. “Now we would like to see the city expedite the project. There is a lot of work to be done before we can see the full benefits of the new arena, so we need to get started right away.”
The proposed 170-acre True North Strong regional entertainment district is anchored by the event centre itself, which will sit on the 23-acre Jack Nicholas Business and Innovation Park on The Kingsway east of downtown and across from Levesque Street.
The city has entered into an agreement to purchase the property from the True North Strong group (a.k.a. SW Sports and Entertainment), headed by Dario Zulich. The city is also responsible for improving existing services to the site, including sewer, water and hydro, and making the necessary improvement to the roadway for vehicular access to the site. It’s estimated service improvements will cost between $5 million and $10 million.
The site will also require rezoning, a process that could add upwards of a year to the project.
As well, because of the nature of the site (a vacant property of undulating bedrock), a significant amount of blasting and grading will be needed. That site preparation could last up to a year, the site selection report states. This is expected to cost between $10 million and $15 million.
The total cost is expected to be in the range of $98 million.
Gateway Casinos has reiterated its interest in constructing a $60-million casino as part of the site.
From the hospitality angle, HVS, a firm that specializes in hotel market analysis and valuation, spoke in support of the True North project, saying the local market could support multiple hospitality investments. Vrancor, a property management and development company that has already invested in the local market, has stated about its interest in growth opportunities in Sudbury.
The proposed motorsports park, while part of the site, is a separate, independent project. The land where the park would be built is currently owned by the Crown and not officially for sale.
