Edmonton mayor wants vote on downtown arena

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel wants councillors to make a final decision on a new downtown arena and entertainment district on April 6th.  

"It's enough already," he said following another rambling council meeting about the project. "I think we're going around too many circles."

On Wednesday councillors discussed a report examining how an arena could be run, how it would be funded, it's impact on the rest of downtown and the design of the rink.

Mandel said however the report contained nothing new.

"It was not a worthwhile report," he said. "It said nothing to us. I was expecting things substantially different — a more clear definition of the things we'd asked for in the past. We didn't get it."

Coun. Tony Caterina said he can't see how council can make a decision when it doesn't have the necessary information. "I think it's impossible."

Mandel, an ardent supporter of a new arena, said he doesn't understand why so many councillors seem to be against the project.

"Either we build a new arena or we become a second class city," he said.

"I believe the city will negotiate a good deal with the Katz group."

Councillors met behind closed doors Wednesday afternoon to get an update on negotiations with the Katz Group.

The Katz group is committing $100 million to the $450 million project. The city has proposed raising $250 million from a ticket tax and a community revitalization levy. The city hopes the remaining $100 million could come from other levels of government.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the federal government has no plans to provide money for professional hockey arenas.