Final Lansdowne plan passed by committee

The city's finance and economic development committee has approved the final agreement of the Lansdowne partnership between the city and Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

Only Coun. Diane Deans voted against the plan, which will now go to city council for the final vote next week.

Tuesday's meeting revealed the final, updated details of the Lansdowne agreement.

It was also revealed by city staff that the court challenge against Lansdowne Park did not delay the project, as they had said before. Instead the planning for Lansdowne Park was not ready for its earlier deadline 18 months ago.

Ottawa city staff submitted their final report on legal agreements and provided a status update to councillors at the city's finance and economic development committee.

City staff are recommending council give final approvals in the coming weeks to the $300 million deal to renovate Lansdowne Park.

Many details of the final report were made public last week when documents were posted in advance of Tuesday's meeting.

City councillors learned Tuesday the Friends of Lansdowne challenge was not the source of the 18-month delay, but in fact the design plan was not ready on time.

The overall cost of the project has also increased by $12 million, mainly because of extra costs for the underground parking garage and the stadium.

Twenty-five per cent of the available space has been leased with signed agreements. Including leases on the verge of being signed, city staff said the figure goes up to 73 per cent.

Major redevelopment construction elements should be completed on schedule in the summer of 2014, with all the work finished by 2015, the report said.