Laval pushes ahead with arena plans

The city of Laval is going ahead with plans to build a $120-million sports complex.

City officials announced Monday that the arena will be managed by promoter Evenko, which also manages Montreal's Bell Centre.

The project is slated to be completed by 2014 and will include a 10-thousand-seat rink, which is also tobe used for concerts.

There will also be two, smaller rinks.

Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt called the future "Place Bell" a dream come true for his city and said it will be a cultural and sporting hub.

Vaillancourt said the facility will be paid for with money from Laval's budget surplus, the provincial government and the private sector.

He promised there would be no tax increase for Laval residents to cover the construction costs.

Emilio Migliozzi of the opposition group Mouvement Lavallois said the project is a frivolous way to spend taxpayers' money.

"Do you want your money to go to one huge arena, or do you want to be able to fulfill the needs of what the people of Laval really need?" he asked.

Mouvement Lavallois is calling for a referendum on the issue.