The City of Thunder Bay will be on the hunt for government funding to build a proposed waterfront arena and convention hall.
The municipality’s committee of the whole accepted the third phase of a feasibility study on the Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre on Sept. 29. The matter moves to city council for ratification which will give staff the green light to pursue and firm up federal, provincial and private capital for the project, estimated to be in the $100 million range.
The city administration expects to have responses to those applications by next March.
“Phase three was about due diligence,” said Michael Smith, the city’s general manager of community services. “The extensive work completed to date, including public consultation, was essential to prepare the project and maximize government and private sector funding.”
The city’s private sector partners are Thunder Bay Live!, a project consortium of companies which include the owners of the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets want to transfer its American Hockey League farm club from Newfoundland to the northwestern Ontario city.
