Lansdowne plan backed by trade show producer

One Ottawa trade show producer is supporting a plan to redevelop Lansdowne Park despite the fact that it would leave trade shows with nowhere to go.

Einar Murchison produces The Guy Show, which opens at Lansdowne on Saturday, and features such things as motorcycles, tools, hockey equipment, and even Börje Salming's underwear, according to the show's website.

Murchison said Wednesday the plan to redevelop the park can work even if it doesn't include trade shows like his.

"There's a whole pile of people who can be accommodated at Lansdowne. I just don't think, at the end of the day, it's the trade show industry that's going to be there," Murchison said.

"That's fine because there has to be a certain amount of change in the city, you can't stop and say, we've been here for 100 years and we're not moving," he said.

Murchison is on the executive of the Ottawa Association of Exposition Managers, which has publicly opposed the Lansdowne Park plan.

"We reject the plan because it doesn't preserve the existing space [for trade shows] at Lansdowne Park, nor does it provide a replacement at a different location," said Michael Rodgers, president of the association.

Rodgers said the trade show association will meet with the city and officials from the Lansdowne Partnership Plan next week. He wants to hear new solutions for a public trade-show venue in the city, if not at Lansdowne, then somewhere else.

The Lansdowne Partnership Plan is a proposed public-private partnership between the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group and the City of Ottawa formed to renovate Frank Clair Stadium, add green space to the park and build stores, restaurants, condo towers and townhouses at the site on Bank Street, north of the Rideau Canal.

Murchison is bringing the Grey Cup to Lansdowne for The Guy Show this weekend to show support for bringing back a CFL team to Ottawa, a plan that would be helped by the part of the Lansdowne plan that includes renovation of the football stadium.