Governments must agree on stadium funding: PM

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll consider contributing funding to Winnipeg's proposed new stadium, but he won't commit to it.

Winnipeg media mogul David Asper's plans for the stadium would see him provide $40 million for the $120-million project, with the provincial and federal government each providing half of the remaining $80 million.

The federal budget includes $33 billion toward infrastructure over the next few years, Harper said Thursday, but he would have to consult with provincial and municipal leaders before committing any cash.

"All these projects are great ideas, but ultimately, in terms of that kind of project and many others, we will sit down with other levels of government and see if they're on everybody's priority list. It's ultimately up to governments at all levels to get together and prioritize some of these projects," he said.

"I'm not in a position to make that judgment alone. I'll obviously want to speak to my colleagues. My ministers will speak to their colleagues in the provincial and municipal governments."

So far, the city and province have not made any financial commitments to Asper, whose partially covered, 40,000-seat stadium would replace the 54-year-old Canad Inns Stadium in the Polo Park area of Winnipeg.

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer has said the province would help build a new stadium but any call for funds would have to include a guarantee that the Blue Bombers would not leave town.

Under his plan, Asper would take ownership of the Blue Bombers which have been community-owned for 80 years and spend $25 million to develop commercial property around the stadium.The stadium itself would remain public property.

The team voted in June to transfer ownership to Asper and his company, Creswin Properties.

Asper hopes to begin construction in March and complete it by 2009.