NHL commissioner says new downtown Ottawa arena could ‘breed a whole economy’ [Video]

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman toured Ottawa on Tuesday to promote the work being done on a downtown arena.

The development plan has been off-and-on for years, with the latest step an “agreement in principle” in September between the Ottawa Senators and National Capital Commission that would see the Sens-led Capital Sports Development Inc. purchase a plot of land at LeBreton Flats.

It would facilitate a move from the team’s Kanata home about 23 kilometres from Parliament Hill to one about two kilometres away. 

The specifics around parking haven’t been announced, but the site is a few hundred metres from the meeting of the Trillium and Confederation rail lines at Bayview station. It’s also closer to the bridges between Ottawa and Gatineau.

Bettman said he’s optimistic of the economic boom the new arena could bring because the stadium would be more central and could possibly bring in more events. 

WATCH | The tentative deal for a new arena at …