The candidates for mayor of Montreal Valérie Plante and Denis Coderre agree on one point in the baseball file: if the project of a new stadium is born, the group of Stephen Bronfman will not be entitled to a leave of absence of property taxes. He will have to pay the usual property taxes according to the value of the stadium.
For example, a stadium worth around 580 million located in Peel Basin – as projected in 2013 by Mr. Bronfman’s group1 – would cost around 20.7 million in property taxes in 2021, according to estimates by Press based on current property tax rates for commercial buildings in the Sud-Ouest borough, where the Peel Basin is located.
” Yes [le groupe de M. Bronfman devra payer les taxes foncières d’un stade]. The same way other sports facilities pay their taxes, I don’t see why they wouldn’t pay. I think it’s the right thing to do. I don’t intend to use Montrealers’ money to pay for a stadium, ”said Valérie Plante, head of Projet Montreal, in an editorial interview with Press earlier this week. Mme Plante said baseball stadium owners would have to pay property taxes on the real value of the land and building.
People will have to pay their fair share [de taxes foncières]. We will wait to see what happens [dans ce dossier] and we will work accordingly.
Denis Coderre, in an editorial interview with Press
Mr. Coderre also recalled that Mr. Bronfman’s group had indicated that it would not request public funds from the City of Montreal for the construction of a baseball stadium.
The Montreal Baseball Group, a group of business people led by Mr. Bronfman who wants to get a major baseball team in Montreal timeshare with Tampa Bay, did not recall. Press Thursday about property taxes for a future baseball stadium.
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Two cautious baseball candidates
Another point in common between Valérie Plante and Denis Coderre: they are very cautious during the election campaign when they approach the baseball stadium issue.
If the project goes ahead, Mr. Bronfman’s group would like to build their new stadium on federally owned land (the Canada Lands Company) in Peel Basin. In practice, the City of Montreal must consent to the purchaser acquiring it, since it has a right of veto over the land by virtue of its right of pre-emption.
Should the City reserve this land at Peel Basin for a baseball stadium? Neither Valérie Plante nor Denis Coderre want to answer this question for the moment.
There is no project on the table, I cannot position myself on a hypothetical project.
Valerie Plante
“I met with the Montreal Baseball Group telling them what the needs are,” continued Mr.me Plant. There have been [le rapport de] the OCPM [l’Office de consultation publique de Montréal], but I took the trouble to remind them of what he had in this consultation on the importance that it be a living environment, that it is not an environment that is empty and where there is nothing left . It is such a strategic ground. We need housing, we need work poles, access to the banks, greening, land for schools. They know all this. ”
Denis Coderre says he has not thought about the issue of the Peel Basin land. Anyway, Mr. Bronfman’s group is currently discussing with the Quebec government to obtain a financial contribution for the stadium project, he observes.
“Right now, the ball is in Quebec,” says Denis Coderre. We will let the relief pitcher, Mr. François Legault, take care of the file. I have no response [à la question du terrain]. I want to see what the Government of Quebec will do first. It is not in my priorities at the moment. If everyone wants to work, the role of the City is not to be an irritant. It is also to be a stakeholder in this issue. If it’s a good record, I’ll look at it carefully and I won’t say no. […] I love baseball, everyone knows that. We must be responsible in the management of public funds. ”
If the project comes to fruition, Mr. Coderre doesn’t just want a baseball stadium in Peel Basin. “We want to create the City of Le Havre, 20,000 [logements], something mixed with innovation, not just putting on a baseball stadium, he said. In the other stadium projects, there are [logements], shopping, entertainment. ”
1. The report commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce and Business People (including Mr. Bronfman) spoke of a stage of 500 million in 2013. With inflation, that gives 580 million in 2021.