The bricks could be coming down on the Eaton's building in downtown Winnipeg.

There is talk of tearing down the building and putting in its place a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex. It would be the new home for the Manitoba Moose.

The Eaton's site is just one of the options being considered by a local business group.

Opinions about the future of the Eaton's building are split.

Winnipegger Mark Forstrom walks past the empty red-brick building on Portage Avenue. He says its central location and easy access make the site ideal for the proposed new complex.

"I think that the city could use a sports complex for hockey and other events. I'm all for it," Forstrom says.

Even so, Forstrom says the building does represent an important piece of Winnipeg's history. He says he'd like to see at least the facade preserved if the proposal for the complex does go through.

Dave McDowell wants more than the facade preserved. He's the president of Heritage Winnipeg, a non-profit group that tries to preserve Winnipeg's historic buildings.

He says there are other uses for the building that won't affect its structure. "Likely a mix because of the mass of that building, a mix of retail and office and who knows these days what they're able to do for residential," McDowell says.

McDowell says the issue will be discussed at a Heritage Winnipeg board meeting next week.

Meanwhile True North, the business group that's behind the project, has already met with officials from the city and province. A spokesman for the group says no definite plans have yet been made.