It's just a paperwork formality, but earlier this week, the City of Greater Sudbury officially took over ownership of the parcel of land where the new Kingsway Entertainment District is planned.
Developer Dario Zulich sold the land to the city for $10 as part of a partnership that will see him to build the new arena there.
There are also plans by Gateway Casinos to build a $60-million casino on the same site and several hotel chains are negotiating to be part of the project.
While progress has been slowed due to several appeals launched on the zoning permissions, Zulich says he remains encouraged.
In a statement, he says:
"It has always been the intention of the KED partnership that the city takes possession of the property upon which the event centre will be situated at the KED development. The city now owns about 35 acres of land and both access points in and out of the KED. This is a very positive step forward demonstrating our confidence and mutual commitment to making the ked a reality!”
There are about a dozen appeals against the project going ahead.
The province's Local Planning Appeal Tribunal is waiting for a decision on a Toronto-based appeal before moving ahead on hearing the Sudbury case.
