Senators sign memorandum for new arena at LeBreton Flats

The Ottawa Senators have signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and other investors to build a downtown arena at LeBreton Flats, the team announced Thursday.

"Today's announcement marks a significant move towards our long-term vision, a downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. We believe that this development will have a major impact on both the Nation Capital Region and our franchise, one that will help to shape the future of the city. We thank the NCC for their collaboration and look forward to working alongside them as we take the next steps on this exciting journey," the Senators' statement read.

Several steps remain before finalizing the deal, including working on a lease deal for the land by January.

The Senators were given preferred bidder status to build an arena at LeBreton Flats in 2016, but the agreement fell apart as negotiations between late owner Eugene Melnyk and business partner John Ruddy soured, resulting in ongoing lawsuits.

Securing a bid for the new arena was believed to be one of Melnyk's final acts before he died in March, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

The Senators' current arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, is located in Kanata, approximately 25 minutes from the downtown core of Ottawa.

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