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Project not dead: Mayor wants to continue looking at event centre options

THUNDER BAY -- Mayor Keith Hobbs doesn't see a downside in continuing to look at options for a new event centre or possibly a stand-alone hockey arena.
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FILE -- Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs doesn't agree that the event centre project is daed, and wants to continue looking at options. (tbnewswatch.com file photograph)

THUNDER BAY -- Mayor Keith Hobbs doesn't see a downside in continuing to look at options for a new event centre or possibly a stand-alone hockey arena.

The city was told Monday that its $114 million project didn't meet federal requirements for gas tax money because the project had the Winnipeg Jets' AHL team as an anchor tenant. While some said that killed the project, Hobbs doesn't agree.

"We're on wobbly legs but I refuse to go down without a fight," he said.

When city council meets again April 13 Hobbs will ask for a report, hopefully due back before the end of May, exploring every option available to the city to keep the project going. That could include using the Lakehead University Thunderwolves and possibly a new junior team, from the United States Hockey League for example, as co-tenants. As long as the teams aren't considered professional it could revive the project.

"That would put us back in the game for federal funding," Hobbs said.

Hobbs sees building a stand-alone rink as another possibility. He points to the Sault Ste. Marie Essar Centre, which has given that city the chance to bid for the Brier and other national events. The Brier alone generates up to $7 million in economic spin-off.

"Why can't we do that?" Hobbs said. "We have the capability to do that."

Even opponents of the event centre agree that the Fort William Gardens needs to be replaced one day. If the city puts aside $2 million for 14 years into its Renew Thunder Bay fund, currently at $23 million, that would still leave them short of the projected nearly $100 million an arena would cost in 2029.

"How long do we keep saving for this? Let's explore building a new rink."

With the amount of time and money already spent on the project, it makes sense for the city to keep looking at options Hobbs said. But it's up to the rest of council whether they'll agree.

“I don't see the downside to a referral and getting a report back from administration on what alternatives we have," he said.

Hobbs and the city are still scratching their heads as to why the federal government, which provided funding for the project's feasibility study just last year, denied the funding.

When the federal government's most recent $577,000 for the study was announced in February of 2014, Conservative MP Greg Rickford said the event centre could mean big things for Thunder Bay and that the project was about the federal government investing in the right projects with the right people at the right time.

"I think this fits the test on every level," Rickford said.

Hobbs wants to know what's changed since then. He also thinks the fact that neither local riding is Conservative might have something to do with it.

"I think that's a factor for sure," Hobbs said.

"I think it makes a difference. It shouldn't make a difference because we all pay taxes federally."

 





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