Support for Lansdowne 2.0 dropped when Ottawans were given details such as cost, according to an earlier poll released<\/a> by Shawn Menard, an opponent of the project who is running for re-election in Capital Ward, where Lansdowne Park is located.<\/p>\n But with Mark Sutcliffe, who championed the plan, leading the mayoral race as of late July<\/a> \u2014 roughly a quarter of voters preferred Sutcliffe among mayoral candidates, a plurality \u2014 could public opposition to Lansdowne 2.0 undermine his re-election bid?<\/p>\n Sutcliffe has supported redeveloping Lansdowne since his election in 2022.\u00a0He says the project<\/a> is a low-cost chance for taxpayers to get new public facilities, and says taxpayers will cover less than a third of its price tag.<\/p>\n At the council vote last November<\/a>, Sutcliffe said his professional staff advised the project was \u201ca good investment for taxpayers\u201d and did not expose the city to unreasonable risk.<\/p>\n Opposing the motion, then-Kitchissippi coun. Jeff Leiper, now running against Sutcliffe for mayor, argued the stadium renovation did not largely benefit the public and would make a \u201cgated space where the ticket to play costs too much for most to afford.\u201d<\/p>\n Leiper had support from around 17 per cent of voters in July, according to Liaison Strategies<\/a>, roughly tied with Alex Lawson, who said Lansdowne 2.0 amounts to a \u201cvanity project\u201d while the city should have different priorities.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have bigger things to pay attention to, like providing basic services properly and making sure people feel safe in their communities,\u201d Lawson said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n Asked about public opposition to Lansdowne 2.0 recently, Sutcliffe declined to comment, saying he wasn\u2019t giving interviews at the launch party.<\/p>\n Leiper, Lawson and Neil Saravanamuttoo, the latter candidate for mayor polling at around seven per cent, have indicated opposition to the project.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/td-place-stadium-2.webp\")
Three out of the four leading candidates in Ottawa\u2019s mayoral race have voiced concerns with Lansdowne 2.0. [Photo \u00a9 Brendon Poste]<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/sutcliffe-campaign-launch.webp\")
Mark Sutcliffe launched his campaign for re-election as mayor of Ottawa at Saint Elias Banquet Centre on Sept. 16. [Photo \u00a9 Brendon Poste]<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neil-saravanamuttoo.webp\")
Mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo held a town hall event at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex in Orl\u00e9ans on Sept. 10. He critiqued the city\u2019s spending priorities on a new stadium while he said the Ottawa Redblacks \u201cmay not even exist\u201d by the time construction is completed. [Photo \u00a9 Brendon Poste]<\/p>\n