No overtime in bid to salvage LeBreton deal, minister says
Melnyk, Ruddy have until Thursday to reach agreement through mediation
Eugene Melnyk and John Ruddy, the warring partners who won the bid to redevelop LeBreton Flats, will be given no extra time to iron out their differences, the minister responsible for the National Capital Commission confirmed Tuesday.
The deadline for mediation between the RendezVous LeBreton Group partners falls Thursday, and will not be extended, according to Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez.
"I really hope the private partners agree on something and have a few days to do so, because it's an important project for the region," Rodgriguez told reporters on Parliament Hill.
Melnyk, who owns the Ottawa Senators, and Ruddy, executive chair of developer Trinity Group, entered into mediation in January after launching reciprocal lawsuits worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
RendezVous had been chosen to embark on the $4-billion redevelopment project, which would have brought an NHL arena and thousands of housing units to the largely vacant parcel of downtown land.
Devcore Canderel DLS Group, the team that came second in the NCC competition, has also been involved in the mediation.
The NCC board had already granted the partners one extension after former Ontario chief justice Warren Winkler requested extra time.
"Now they have to come to an agreement. There's a few days left. No extension after that," Rodriguez said Tuesday.
Melnyk was spotted leaving Parliament Hill on Monday, but the minister's office said no one there had met with the Senators owner.