2 firms contend to create Moncton's $95M centre

Two companies submitted bids to build a $95.4-million downtown sports and entertainment centre for Moncton.

Bird Construction and Ellis Don each put forth a bid; both companies have completed similar multi-million dollar projects in Canada.

Isabelle LeBlanc, a spokesperson for the City of Moncton, said a committee of experts will dissect their proposed designs.

"We're looking at a four- to six-week period to evaluate both submissions. Our hope is to certainly make a recommendation to council during the last week of December as to the preferred proponent," she said.

"We're asking them to propose a number of seats that they feel is logical and corresponds with what we're looking for as a municipality. They're also looking over things such as traffic patternsand parking and all of those intricate details that would entail the downtown centre."

Construction on the sports and entertain centre should begin next spring or summer, if the finances come together.

Moncton city council voted in March to build the 7,500-seat sports and entertainment complex on the former Highfield Square mall site.