The National Capital Commission is estimating that a potential new Ottawa Senators arena in the Aqueduct District of LeBreton Flats could seat approximately 16,000 fans and open in the mid-2030s, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch wrote in a story posted Monday in the Ottawa Citizen.
The details were included in an NCC request for developer proposals issued last Friday on Oct. 30. The NCC is a Crown corporation responsible for development and urban planning in Canada’s Capital Region.
The potential arena size would be slightly smaller than Canadian Tire Centre’s current capacity of about 17,000, which can be expanded to more than 18,000 for marquee regular-season games and playoff games, according to Garrioch.
The Senators have not publicly released plans for a new facility, but have been working with architects on the design of the arena and plans for the surrounding district. The NCC’s developer request aims to build the new arena alongside homes and other businesses near the Canadian War Museum, which attracts 500,000 people a year.
“The district will be connected by rapid transit, surrounded by new homes, workplaces, parks and public spaces, and linked directly to what will become one of the region’s premier event venues with an expected capacity of approximately 16,000 people,” Tobi Nussbaum, the chief executive officer of the NCC, touted in a letter to potential developers.
According to Garrioch, Senators president and chief executive officer Cyril Leeder has said the club hopes to unveil its plans for the arena early in 2027.
The Ottawa Citizen reported last year that Sens owner Michael Andlauer and his partners had purchased 11 acres of land in the LeBreton Flats area with the intention to develop it. They also have the opportunity to buy more land in the area from the NCC, but have not yet determined if they will, according to Garrioch.
The Sens have played at Canadian Tire Centre in the suburb of Kanata – located west of the city – since its opening in 1996.