Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman this week said that a plan for the NHL Jets to develop property near the downtown MTS Centre "could be put on hold in order for the development to go to public bid," according to Kristin Annable of the WINNIPEG SUN. Details of True North Sport & Entertainment’s "plan to develop the site at the former Carlton Inn were confirmed Monday by the company -- which owns the NHL team -- and CentreVenture, the city’s arms-length downtown development agency." True North officials in a release said that their plan "involves both residential and office space, plus retail and a public plaza similar to that of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Square." True North’s option to purchase the land -- signed on Sept. 24 -- "came to the forefront this month due to EPC’s efforts to get to the bottom of CentreVenture’s hotel deal fiasco" and the C$3.75M settlement with construction company Stuart Olson. Bowman said that there is "still information that needs to be brought forward, including the option agreement with True North, which Bowman is not legally allowed to have access to" (WINNIPEG SUN, 1/27). In Winnipeg, Aldo Santin noted CentreVenture had "wanted to continue exclusive negotiations with True North for another six months, and if that didn't work out, it would see if any other developer had plans for the property." Bowman said that CentreVenture "will have to deal with any fallout from True North over the change in the arrangement that EPC will bring to council Wednesday for approval" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 1/27). Bowman said that if True North's "plan is as spectacular as promised, it will surely win a bid." Also in Winnipeg, Bartley Kives noted Jets Exec Chair Mark Chipman "endorsed Bowman's mayoral run" in '14 (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 1/27).
JET SETTERS: True North on Monday unveiled its renovation plans for MTS Centre, scheduled for completion this summer. Upgrades include a new center-hung scoreboard featuring four primary screens two-and-a-half times as large as the current displays. There also will be a new Power Ring display and an updated control room to facilitate the production of HD images. In addition, True North will add premium loge seating to the arena (Jets).
