Charlottetown approves additional $25K in annual funding for Eastlink Centre

Charlottetown city council has approved an increase of $25,000 in annual funding for the Eastlink Centre.

The funding, which now rises from $50,000 to $75,000, was done to strengthen the city's relationship with the Eastlink Centre and, in turn, the Island Storm basketball team.

The amount will be paid annually, post-season, to ensure funding is only provided when the team is operating in Charlottetown. The increase will be reflected in future year's operating budgets.​

The Storm is one of two anchor tenants at the Eastlink Centre — its other, the Charlottetown Islanders, signed a four-year agreement with the centre in March.

Though the arena is nearly 30 years old, the city has long planned for a successor facility somewhere else in Charlottetown.

A new sports hub in Charlottetown, according to a report commissioned by the city, could cost upward of $80 million and would likely include two NHL-sized arenas with the Eastlink Centre being converted to a community facility.

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