Quebec City Still Counting Costs on New Arena

The Quebec Province is still examining all issues and angles surrounding a new proposed arena funding deal that could potentially mark the new trail for a NHL hockey team returning to the Quebec City area. According to the Canadian Press, the total amount to create such a stadium would cost $400 million dollars (CDN).

[Mayor Regis] Labeaume is hoping the construction of a new arena will help Quebec City get another National Hockey League team more than 15 years after the beloved Nordiques left for Colorado.

For fans of the old Quebec Nordiques, don't hold your breath for too long. The study to analyze and hash out all expenditures regarding the building's funding will begin in February.

Francois Moisan says it will take between six and nine months for the evaluation to take place.

And that is only the budget talks. My opinion, it should only take 1.5 months and not nine.

Of course, there are many things to consider in Canada politically as many outspoken politicians claim that both federal funding as well as provincial funding would not go to building sports stadiums unless there is a tie-in to University sports. Jumping to the rescue on corporate Canada is perhaps the first company angling to get the naming rights

Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau said last weekend he has offered "tens of millions of dollars" to help build the facility, a comment that federal Public Works Minister Christian Paradis called encouraging.

I am really excited to follow this project along. If I can help disseminate the process of how an arena gets built, then perhaps we can all learn from this experience. It takes a lot more preparation planning than waving a pen and moving a franchise to anywhere or pulling one out of thin expansion air.

[Via: Yahoo! Sports]