Thousands of people watched city council debate and ultimately vote on where to put Greater Sudbury’s new event centre.
A municipal issue has not captured the public’s attention in this way in years.
Sudbury.com was on hand with our video cameras last night, capturing the highlights of the meeting.
After the vote, Mayor Brian Bigger said while he voted for downtown, he can get behind The Kingsway project.
"Absolutely -- the vision and the whole concept of having an entertainment district is very, very exciting," Bigger said. "Now (we'll be) working in conjunction with the True North Strong group, and I thank them for all the work that they've done."
But Jeff MacIntyre, chair of the BIA who was the most visible face of the downtown supporters, was clearly disappointed in the outcome.
"We've bet on one developer over our entire downtown," MacIntyre said. "That's what happened tonight."
He wasn't surprised that council backed The Kingsway after downtown was rejected, because Sudburians want to see something done. And he's hoping that council's support for turning downtown into an arts and culture hub is more than just words.
