The City of Kingston, Ont., is heading back to the drawing board after failing to reach a deal with a developer to build a new downtown conference centre.

The municipality announced it was unable to finalize an agreement with its partners for the hospitality-focused redevelopment of Block 4, located across from Slush Puppie Place.

Mayor Bryan Paterson said the city remains committed to the project and will use this time to re-evaluate.

“We’re going to go back and refine some of the details around the project with plans to resubmit it to the market and invite other proposals,” Paterson said.

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The city has maintained that a new facility would boost local tourism, particularly during the fall and winter shoulder seasons. Paterson noted the project has been in the works for years because of its potential to bring more visitors to the broader community.

However, the delay has sparked debate about the viability of the facility. City Coun. Brandon Tozzo questioned whether the market demand for such a location still exists. Tozzo pointed out that while large conventions still sell out, smaller ones are experiencing a decline.

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“I think this just speaks to the fact that people aren’t interested in conventions anymore,” Tozzo said.

Despite the setback, Paterson expressed confidence that the project will be a great addition to the downtown “once those shovels are in the ground.” City staff are expected to report back to council with their next steps later this year.

— with files from Fawwaz Muhammad-Yusuf

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