Breaking: Sens owner being sued for $1 billion, may be forced to give up team

According to a report from CTV Ottawa, Trinity Development, an Ottawa based land developer, is suing Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and Capital Sports Management Inc for $1 billion over its partnership to redevelop Lebreton Flats.

The lawsuit was filed in court earlier this morning in response to Melnyk’s own $700 million suit filed against Trinity last month. In Trinity’s suit the group claims that “CSMI and its guiding-mind principal, officer and director, Eugene Melnyk, together with other CSMI executives, including then CEO Cyril Leeder knew about 900 Albert from the outset of the RLG Joint Venture... 900 Albert was an integral part of the CSMI/Trinity relationship.”

In effect, Trinity alleges that Melnyk backed out of the arena and redevelopment plan because he was upset that someone else was going to profit off of the construction of some condos nearby. Seriously…

It's also worth noting that Trinity and the taxpayer were going to fund most of the project, not Melnyk and CSMI. Still, Melnyk pushed for a 30 year rent-free lease on the new arena as well as building naming rights. Again... seriously...

This might sound crude but… man do I hope Trinity pulls through in this case. Nothing would help set the Senators free more than a $1 billion price tag on the head of Melnyk. With another owner in place maybe the redevelopment deal gets done, the Sens move and the entire organization can just move forward from the nightmare that they’ve had to endure under Melnyk lately.

For what it’s worth, Trinity maintains that it will attempt to have the deal go through, with or without Melnyk in place. In a statement on Tuesday, Ruddy expressed his desire to move forward on the Lebreton project, "Let me be clear, I am committed to moving this project forward. The vision we've brought forward is the right one. I will work with the NCC, the City of Ottawa, and the community at large to advance solutions that will make this project a reality, and avoid losing these important lands for another generation."