With the city council rejecting the administration’s $ 215 million proposal for the Kingsway entertainment district and an alternative motion calling for a $ 150 million version, the long-discussed project is effectively dead.
Greater Sudbury City Council unanimously rejected the proposed administration of a $ 215 million Kingsway entertainment district during today’s meeting.
Between that and a failed proposal to reduce the project to $ 150 million, the KED, which has been debated for a long time, is dead.
Today’s meeting has been the last of a series of moments the city council has banned for the municipal pavilion / event center project, but this is the first time since its approval in 2017, when the most city council members adopted a ban stance.
Ward 5 Coun presented the $ 150 million alternative project proposal. Robert Kirwan in Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc, who were the only ones to support it.
His proposal would have allowed the city to move on to the next phase of the progressive design and construction process, which would have taken a few months and cost approximately $ 3 million.
“At least that way it takes us to the second state to see if the event center can be built for $ 150 million,” Leduc said. “It’s looking to reduce the price, obviously, which I think could be obtained.”
The main argument against the alternative project is that it would not produce the same building that a narrow majority of the city council has consistently supported for the past five years.
Aiming at Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan’s claim of a $ 150 million municipal stage / event center could be “good enough,” Ward 10 Coun. Fern Cormier said, “Boy, boy, is that what we want to be? Would we spend $ 150 million on that?
“I can’t stand spending $ 150 million on producing a pretty good scenario when we already have a pretty good scenario,” Ward 4 Coun said. Geoff McCausland later added, pointing to the 70-year-old Sudbury Community Arena city center.
Although the project’s private partners, including Genesis Hospitality (hotel), Gateway Casinos (casino) and developer Dario Zulich, said last week that they were in favor of the project, it remains to be seen where they stand after the decision. today from the town hall.
To date, the approved budget for the KED has been $ 100 million, which includes $ 90 million in debt and $ 10 million in fundraising. Last week’s report from the city’s director of engineering services, David Shelsted, was the first indication that the price had reached $ 215 million.
With today’s vote effectively killing the KED, the city’s director of strategic initiative, communications and citizen services, Ian Wood, told Sudbury.com that a report will be drafted to formalize the interruption of the project.
The process has been “designed for this decision point of the city council,” he said, adding that without signed agreements that would force them to do anything beyond today there would be no legal consequences for the city council to withdraw. of the project.
The city has spent about $ 3.7 million on the project so far, plus “at least half a million” on outstanding bills, Shelsted told Sudbury.com.
The exact figures will be detailed in a report to city council in the near future along with other requirements that could accompany its decision to kill the project. This report will include details on the reversion of land given essentially to the city through a nominal fee for the municipal arena / event center to the developer, Mayor Brian Bigger said.
It is not known what the city will do with the remaining $ 90 million of debt they already have secured for the project, whose final cost will be reduced.
“I think the new council will decide what the priorities are,” Bigger told local media during a scrum after today’s meeting, in which he also clarified that a renewal of the KED plan is unlikely to be given several points soon. of ongoing global uncertainty.
In the hours leading up to today’s meeting, the current list of candidates for mayor defended the next incarnation of the city council, elected on October 24, to decide how to proceed.
Several people have attended the town hall today with signs urging the city to kill the project and invest in the city center. Before the meeting began, however, Tom Davies Square security informed them that their signs would not be allowed inside the building.
“For me, it’s silencing democracy and silencing opinions,” protester Denise Larocque told Sudbury.com outside the building, where they gathered to pose for a photo before leaving their signs.
This, said his fellow protester Patrick Crowe, is in line with city leadership so far.
“They’ve never really asked for the opinions of the people in the city to see if they even want to build a giant field next to the unused, very active landfill,” he said.
“We don’t want to close democracy … and we don’t want to be left out.”
Recognizing the long and passionate opposition to the KED, Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh took a moment during today’s meeting to acknowledge the efforts of city staff and to clarify that they have only followed the direction given to them by the majority of city council votes.
“I regret the staff for the unfair public opinion, the public criticism they have had to experience,” he said, adding that those dissatisfied with what has happened or how this project has ended should know the “stops” of the city. advice.
Tyler Clarke covers town hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.