Nanaimo says no to $80M waterfront arena

Nanaimo residents have emphatically rejected a proposal toborrow $80 million to build a new waterfront eventcentre and arena.

"It clear, there's no doubt where the people stood on this," said city councillor Diane Brennan about the 80 per cent of voters who said no to the project.

Numbers released around 9 p.m. PT on Saturday show that 19,179 residents voted no, while 4,706 voted yes.

The proposed centre would be on vacant, city-owned land and provide up to 5,700 seats for hockey, and about 7,100 for concerts.

Proponents say a new events centre couldrevitalize the city's waterfront and downtown bydrawing marquee concerts to the city and a junior hockey team.

But opponents were skeptical of those supposed economic benefits and don't think a large arena is the best use of the waterfront land, or taxpayer money.

Councillor Jerry Hong says he was glad the vote was decisive, but that the project could be revisited.

"I don't think this is the end at all," he said of Saturday night's vote.

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