Que. NHL arena plan revived by Quebecor bid

The president of media giant Quebecor confirmed that his company is ready to spend millions of dollars to build a new arena in Quebec City, in an effort to bring an NHL team back to the city.

Pierre Karl Pladeau said the company has submitted a substantial offer to the city.

Peladeau made the comments while in the provincial capital to tape a television show Sunday night.

He said rumours that Quebecor has put tens of millions of dollars on the table to help build and manage a new arena are true.

Pladeau says his overall goal is still to get the NHL back in Quebec City.

A proposed arena already has the promise of financial backing from the provincial and municipal governments, but not from the federal government.

However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Quebec lieutenant, MP Christian Paradis, said Quebecor's interest "is promising" because there would have to be private-sector investment before the federal government could be involved.

Last September, Harper said any federal role in building the arena "would have to be equitable across the country," and it would have to be affordable in a time of fiscal restraint.

He said he would consider helping to build arenas, not just in Quebec City, but elsewhere across the country.

"We can't do something for one sports arena in one part of the country, and not have a national approach," said Finance Minister Jim Flaherty at the time.

Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina and Hamilton, Ont.,have all expressed interest in new sports venues, or upgrades of existing ones.

Quebec City's proposed $400-million arena to replace Le Colise is considered a prerequisite for the NHL to return to the city.

The Nordiques left in 1995 to become the Colorado Avalanche.