More than a dozen developers have answered the city’s call to reimagine the Heritage Theatre site — a prime piece of property in downtown Brampton that has remained dormant for more than a decade.

Al Meneses, commissioner of community services, told councillors recently that 17 developers have expressed an interest in redeveloping the property and that staff is currently working to narrow the field to three "bona fide" proposals for members of council to consider.

While the city has yet to reveal what the projects entailed, or which developers submitted ideas, one of the options said to be in the mix is a hotel and convention centre (a project championed by former mayor Susan Fennell).

“We are looking for ingenuity. We are looking for the private sector or any of those who are interested to give us their best proposals,” Meneses said.

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“We want someone who is going to put a shovel in the ground sooner than later and with a development that makes sense for downtown Brampton.”

Brampton last year officially invited private interests to come up with ideas on how to revitalize the theatre block on Main Street North, which includes the heritage building and two adjoining properties to the south. It is the latest of several attempts at transforming the Heritage Theatre complex since it closed more than a decade ago to make way for the state-of-the-art Rose Theatre.

The Heritage Theatre (originally the Capitol Theatre) has been the focus of some lofty plans to grow an arts movement in Brampton. Under the former leadership at city hall, Brampton launched the Heritage Arts Culture Entertainment initiative geared to nurturing a creative economy, and to be anchored by the Rose and Heritage theatres.

Planners have said that despite a handful of proposals on potential uses for the stretch of properties along Main Street over the years, “none of them really panned out.”

The city has injected hundreds of millions of dollars into revitalizing the downtown. Late last year, city leaders made another cash commitment of $150 million over 10 years as part of the province’s plans to establish a university campus in the Four Corners area.

City Coun. Pat Fortini argued city leaders should consider waiting on making a decision on the Heritage block lands until Ryerson University and Sheridan College reveal their plans.