Legal hurdles cleared for Ottawa’s NASL franchise (and, oh yeah, CFL team too) By Steven Sandor Posted on June 15, 2012 3 0 904 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Artist's rendering of soccer at the new Ottawa stadium. While the majority of the Ottawa media still refer to it as the CFL facility, NASL followers and Canadian soccer fans will be buoyed by the news that all the legal hurdles have been cleared for a new Frank Clair Stadium in the nation’s capital. On Thursday, lobby group Friends of Lansdowne, which had already lost an Ontario Court of Appeal case, abandoned their right to appeal that decision. Now the plan to allow Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group to redevelop Frank Clair stadium can go ahead — so the new facility can be used in time for the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the expansion NASL franchise and, oh yeah, the CFL team, too. “The NASL and all its member teams have been eager for quite some time to see the issues delaying the start of construction on our Ottawa team’s new home stadium resolved and, now that those issues appear to be fully resolved, we look forward to welcoming Ottawa onto the pitch as soon as possible.” read a statement from NASL director of communications, Kartik Krishnaiyer. Artist’s rendering of what NASL soccer in Ottawa will look like in 2014 “While many important milestones have been achieved over the last year we are pleased to be past this legal hurdle,” said Roger Greenberg, on behalf of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, which will administer the new CFL team as well as the NASL franchise. “Now we can focus on the exciting part of this project – building a world-class stadium and redevelopment for all to enjoy.” OSEG said Friday that it won’t issue any more statements about the court battles. Now, the race is on to get the stadium ready in time for 2014. John Pugh, who will oversee the expansion Ottawa NASL franchise, earlier told The 11 (see links below) that the team will begin play in 2014. It had the option to kick off in 2013, but will choose to wait until the stadium is ready, as the choices for a temporary home are not ideal. But, as Ottawa’s stadium is key to the Women’s World Cup — and that Canada desperately needs more domestic Division-2 sides to help develop talent in this country — the news that the court battles are over is welcome to Canadian sports fans.
