Ottawa Regional Chair Robert Chiarelli yesterday
announced a budget proposal that would "slash property
taxes" at the Corel Centre from C$4.6M to C$700,000 "in
return for a five-year promise" from the Senators to stay in
the city, according to Kathleen Harris of the OTTAWA SUN.
The tax "reduction would work by creating" a new tax class
called the "commercial professional sports facility"
category. Chiarelli said that he "expects an announcement"
from the federal government on a tax relief proposal "by the
end of this week" (OTTAWA SUN, 11/30). Chiarelli said that
he asked Senators Chair Rod Bryden to "delay the decision"
about putting his team up for sale while Federal Industry
Minister John Manley and the Prime Minister's office work
"to come to a tax solution" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 11/30).
Meanwhile, Boston-based Game Plan Partner Randy Vataha said
that some U.S. investors are interested "in joining" Bryden
to keep the team in Ottawa if it receives some tax relief.
He said that prospective investors are "prepared to visit"
Ottawa to "examine more closely the operation" of the Corel
Centre (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/30).
