Moncton downtown centre will be built

Moncton city council has voted to proceed with a proposed $107-million downtown entertainment and sportscentre that could open by fall 2018.

Council voted 8-3 during aspecial public meeting held on Wednesday night.

Councillors Brian Hicks, Daniel Bourgeois and Paul Pellerinvoted against. After the vote,Bourgeois didn't return to the meeting.

Council then discussedwhether to award the contract toBird Capital orEllis Don. It voted to go withBird Capital for a 20 year contract.

The next step is to get financial and legal closed. Adesign development timeline will then be set. The initial projection has the downtown centre complete by July 2018 with a grand opening in September 2018.

Hicks says he is concerned about thecentre's economic viability.

Resident Harley Stackhouse came to the meeting and expressed similar concerns about taxes.

"I think it would happen. I don't like it very much. I am retired now. Many people feel Moncton is a good place to live and it is but if the taxes do escalate it won't be so nice," he said.

"I still have a lot of questions about the unknowns, about the financing of this," he said. "The impact on taxpayers going down the road, if tax rates increase, which I think they're going to."

On Aug.4, Monctonreceived approval from the provincial government's Municipal Capital Borrowing Board to obtain up to $95.4 million in loans for the project, although the city has stated it only plans to borrow about $39 million.

The acting city manager told council Wednesday that "all indications" are that the federal government will come through with another $4.7 million following the October federal election. The federal government has previously committed to $19.2 million.

In July, the provincial government announced it would contribute$21 million.

The city has purchased the former Highfield Square property on Main Street as the site for the proposedcentre.

The 7,500-seat centrewill become the newhome of the Moncton Wildcats, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team currently plays out of the 40-year-old MonctonColiseum.

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