The city entered a public–private partnership agreement with Nustadia in 1998 to build and operate the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre for 30 years.

However, in 2001, the city of Guelph had to take over the CA$10 million "senior" loan for the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre, plus the CA$9.5 million "subordinated" loan the city was already paying due to Nustadia failing to make a June 1 quarterly payment of $181,250.

The city had to pay CA$3 million over the a four-year span to make Nustadia's payments on its bank loan for the downtown arena.

Nustadia stated that difficulties in making payments were attributed to a number of factors, including the failure to generate anticipated restaurant and food court revenue and lower-than-projected ticket sales from Guelph Storm hockey games.

Nustadia was to repay the money but with a clause in the agreement between the city and the developer giving either side the ability to walk away with no financial obligations to the other.

In 2005, after the four year reprieve, the city took over ownership of the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre because Nustadia Developments Inc. decided to walk away from the downtown facility, completing a controversial transaction that had been expected for a few months.

The concourse is wide and horseshoe shaped, as fans have to either exit to Old Quebec Street food court or go through the restaurant.