New $200M Laval arena a bad deal, says opposition councillor
But city's mayor said he hopes Place Bell will turn a profit in the first year
An opposition councillor in Laval says he's concerned about whether the city's new 10,000-seat arena will be able turn a profit.
The $200-million arena, for which Laval taxpayers are paying $122 million, is a bad deal according to opposition councillor Jean Coupal.
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The Place Bell, currently under construction, will be used by the Montreal Canadiens' farm team, who recently announced they're moving from St.John's to Laval next year.
The municipality is renting a portion of the arena to promotion company Evenko. Though Laval is entitled to a percentage of ticket sales, Coupal is concerned the municipality won't see profit.
"We're most concerned about the way it will be managed," Coupal told CBC Daybreak.
"It'll be managed by the private sector and it will have been paid almost fully by the citizens of Laval. The building will never be paid back."
Profit in the first year?
Laval's mayor, Marc Demers, said he's hoping the city will make a profit within the first year, though he acknowledged most new ventures don't turn a profit in the first three years they're open.
Demers said the arena will create 400 jobs and function as an entertainment hub for people in the city.
"The people in Laval will enjoy these hockey rinks," he said.
The arena complex, which will contain three rinks in all, is expected to open in September of 2017.
With files from CBC Montreal's Daybreak