Lynx Stadium. (Darren Brown, OBJ)

Local businessman David Butler said he is only days away from submitting a formal proposal to city hall for a permanent roof built for a multi-purpose Lynx Stadium and professional baseball continued in Ottawa.

Mr. Butler, who heads a local shuttle bus company and is also head of Ottawa Stadium Group (OSG) Ltd., said his company will submit a proposal to city hall next week. This proposal would include an end to the lawsuit between the Ottawa Lynx and the city, the arrival of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am) league as early as next spring, and a $40-million roof and renovation project that would be completed within 24 months, allowing the Coventry Road facility to become the site of concerts as well as sports.

"Our group is not giving up on this vision," he told the OBJ Friday. "We just haven't done a good enough job making people realize the extremely positive side of our program."

Mr. Butler reiterated that, contrary to some reports, his group is fronting the millions needed for the construction work, to be headed by local Ottawa firm M.P. Lundy Construction Ltd.

He said he's held meetings with a number of interested stakeholders over the last few weeks.

He said the proposal, if accepted, would see an end to the current lawsuit between the Ottawa Lynx and the city over alleged parking promises, with OSG swallowing a potential $3.4 million bill.

It would also keep baseball in the capital, he said.

"We decided that, for the benefit of community, we'd embrace what (the Can-Am League) is trying to do, and give them a chance to continue playing baseball in that facility," he said.

The Can-Am league had been hoping to locate a baseball franchise in Ottawa in time for next season. Recently, commissioner Miles Wolff was in Ottawa to meet with councillors to push for that idea rather than a capping the stadium.

Mr. Wolff said his league could not wait two years while a roof was being added to the stadium and the seating capacity was increased by as much as 15,000 seats.

However, Mr. Butler suggested construction would occur simultaneously with a baseball season.

"Let them play, and we'll build around it," he said.

The proposed stadium would possibly have the backing of Frank D'Angelo and his Steelback Breweries, who in return would have exclusive naming rights to the facility and a monopoly on beer sales.

"(Mr. D'Angelo) sees this as a way of getting into eastern Ontario and western Quebec," said Mr. Butler.

Mr. D'Angelo has previously stated that he was interested in the proposal if the right deal could be found.