Ready to discuss Winnipeg stadium deal: Doer

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer says the provincial government is willing to sit down with other levels of government and the private sector to discussways tofund the construction ofa new football stadium in Winnipeg.

In his state of the province address to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Doer said the province would be willing to reinvest the revenues it would receive from a new stadium into the new facility once it is open.

As soon as the stadium opens, he said, the province expects to receive about $17 million in taxes alone.

All levels of government and the private sector should get together soon to hash out how a stadium could be built using a mix of private and public money, he said.

"We should get everybody in the room and tell the people of Manitoba what we're willing to do, what we can do, why we can do it, and if we can't do it, let's tell the public that, too," he said.

"But I pledge to you that when we can get a meeting with the private sector, the federal government, and I know the City of Winnipeg will go to that meeting, we should all get in the room and try to find the best way to proceed into the future for football and amateur football here in Manitoba."

Asper encouraged

The $17 million is less than half the amount businessman David Asper hopes to receive from the provincial government under his proposed stadium plan, which would see his company contribute $40 million, with provincial and federal governments providing another $80 million.

But Asper told CBC News he was encouraged by Doer's comments.

"This is an excellent development. I mean, you have to make your case the money doesn't just fall from trees," he said.

"It's part of the due diligence process, and I think we need to go through all the numbers with the premier. It's a bit of a complicated project, but at least we've got a starting point, and that's a good thing."

Asper said he's always known he'd have to work hard to get the money he wants for the project.

So far, neither municipal nor federal government officials have made any financial commitments to Asper, whose proposed partially covered, 40,000-seat stadium would replace the 54-year-old Canad Inns Stadium in the Polo Park area of Winnipeg.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he would consider contributing funding if the project was considered a priority by federal and provincial officials.

Doer has previously said any call for provincial funds would have to include a guarantee that the Blue Bombers would not leave town.

Under his plan, Asper proposes to take ownership of the Blue Bombers a team that's 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 in favour of transferring ownership to Asper and his company, Creswin Properties.

Asper hopes to begin construction on the new building in March and complete it by 2009.