Dispute over soccer dome to go to arbitration

A dispute between the City of Ottawa and Coliseum Inc. that forced the cancellation of the indoor soccer season for thousands of players is now going to arbitration.

Negotiations between the two sides were ongoing this week, but city solicitor Rick O'Connor said in a statement to councillors Friday that Coliseum Inc. had not responded to a 4 p.m. Friday deadline to reach an agreement.

Coliseum Inc. was forced to move its dome from Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park due to the park's redevelopment.

The City of Ottawa and Coliseum Inc. had a contract and city officials agreed to help Coliseum relocate its dome at a University of Ottawa field.

But the city and Coliseum got into a dispute about the details of the agreement and Coliseum Inc. later advised its clients the dome would not be installed and that deposits that had been collected for the 2012/2013 dome season would be returned.