The City of Thunder Bay will have to tweak its plans for an event and convention centre after the federal government denied its eligibility for funding from the Federal Gas Tax.
In a news release, the city said it received a registered letter from the federal government indicating the proposed Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre is ineligible for Federal Gas Tax funding based on the facility design proposal as submitted and the intent for an American Hockey League (AHL) team to be the lead tenant. The letter indicated the facility would be eligible if the convention centre was built as a separate stand-alone building.
The city had been seeking a combined $59 million in federal and provincial funds for the centre.
The project, worth an estimated $114 million, would include a 5,700-seat arena and 66,000-square-foot convention space. The city had said construction must start this spring if the centre was going to be ready to host an AHL team by September 2017.
In the release, council said it would re-examine the issue at its April 13 council meeting.
