Event centre report leads to heated debate at Sudbury city council

It's the debate that never ends at Sudbury city council.

During a special meeting Wednesday evening, the controversial Kingsway Entertainment District (KED) was back on the agenda.

The meeting was a chance for councillors to listen to a presentation and discuss a report that provides updated information about the project, which council first voted on in June 2017. The report, from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), favours the Kingsway location over a downtown option. 

While the report was for information only, heated debate ensued over the merits of both the report and the event centre project on the Kingsway.

The at-times chaotic meeting, which lasted four hours, highlighted how divided councillors are over the project.

Concerns raised about report

Several councillors opposed to the KED project raised concerns about factors that were and weren't considered in the report. 

One of the key issues raised is the report factors in the economic benefit of proposed developments at the KED site, such as a casino, hotel and possible film studio, although those developments are not confirmed and are separate from the arena the city plans to build. 

"We already have a casino in Sudbury and they're going to build a larger facility or expand where they are somewhere," said Coun. Fern Cormier. "The jobs will come with it, the economic spinoff will come with it, the increased revenue will come with it, regardless of where they're built. 

"It all seems very detached to me from the event centre question." 

Coun. Deb McIntosh shared a similar sentiment, noting downtown developments, such as the expansion to Red Oak Villa, were not factored in, while a possible film studio with no direct ties to the KED was. 

"I just want apples to apples." 

Ron Bidulka of PwC said he was looking ahead to future developments, rather than ones that have already started, as well as the economic impact of having various developments together on the Kingsway. 

"Downtown has potential, don't get me wrong," Bidulka said. "But we don't know what they are, like they are not yet defined."

Cormier asked Bidulka if he was aware of any situations where a new or refurbished event centre in a city's downtown "has not stimulated economic development in a fairly short order." Bidulka said he was not. 

'Get it done already'

Others at the meeting expressed frustration the debate was even continuing. 

"We're not considering what is best at this point; we've already made the decision for the Kingsway. That hasn't changed," said Coun. Robert Kirwan. 

Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann said she received over 500 responses from residents in her ward, and some neighbouring wards, after she sent letters asking for opinions on the event centre.

She said more than twice as many respondents chose the KED site compared with those who wanted a new build downtown or renovation to the existing arena. But even within the varied responses, Landry-Altmann said one thing was consistent across the board.

"They are frustrated with the delays. The ongoing chant, the mantra, was, 'Get it done already.'"

The current plan is to proceed with the KED project.

However, Coun. Geoff McCausland indicated his intention to bring forward motions at a future meeting, including asking staff to take a closer look at what renovating the current arena could look like.