The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced that the Ottawa Charge will not be playing at the smaller TD Place arena as part of the Lansdowne Park redevelopment plan. Amy Scheer, the league’s executive director of business operations, stated on Tuesday that the decision is due to the reduced seat capacity of the new arena, which has been a point of concern previously.
The recently approved $419-million redevelopment plan by the Ottawa city council includes a reduction in seating capacity at the arena by approximately 3,000 seats. Scheer expressed that this decrease in capacity would be a step backward for the Charge team and emphasized that they are not willing to play in a 5,500-seat venue.
Scheer highlighted the financial implications for the team, noting that the Charge had an average attendance of 5,775 fans for weekday games and 8,348 for weekend games last season. She emphasized the team’s desire to remain in Ottawa, acknowledging the loyal support from fans, but expressed disappointment in the lack of accommodating options provided by the city.
The city estimated that adding 2,000 or more seats to the arena would cost between $80 million and $100 million. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe previously suggested that the league is exerting pressure during negotiations with OSEG on a new lease agreement to secure favorable terms. In response, Sutcliffe mentioned that the city manager is actively engaged in lease discussions with the league and OSEG to explore potential solutions.
As negotiations continue, Sutcliffe refrained from making public comments on the process, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to find a mutually beneficial resolution to the situation.