Investors Group Field | Winnipeg - Page 8

1ajs · #**141** Posted **Jan 22, 2007, 6:07 AM**

lol

if you diverted the rail like that we would be having derailings every week

a eskilator to nowere i have always wanted one

Jimbo · #**142** Posted **Jan 23, 2007, 6:23 AM**

I think it should be built in PD, it would be nice to see the Higgins area rejuvinated.

1ajs · #**143** Posted **Jan 23, 2007, 1:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I think it should be built in PD, it would be nice to see the Higgins area rejuvinated.

i want a skyline on higgins not a stadium

Only The Lonely.. · #**144** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 2:48 PM**

Profit's nice, but woes persist
Blue's historic debt elimination could vanish fast in old stadium

Thu Mar 8 2007 | By Ed Tait | Winnipeg Free Press

IT will be forever remembered as a monumental moment in the storied history of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

But it does come attached with a big, fat asterisk.

Thanks to a $3.3-million windfall from the 2006 Grey Cup Festival, the Bombers posted a net earning last year of $2,916,882. Couple the Cup profits with the forgiveness by the city and province of $1.7 million in income debentures and the Bombers have not only wiped out the $697,882 accumulated debt they carried into 2006, but now have a surplus of over $4 million.

And that represents a dramatic $9-million turnaround from just a few years ago when the team entered the new millennium with a debt-load of over $5.4 million.
"This is a day of great celebration in Bomberland," said Bomber chairman Ken Hildahl. "It's a day we've been waiting for (for) decades."

"I'll let you describe it," added club president and CEO Lyle Bauer. "Call it 'landmark,' 'historic'... but it is something people have worked very hard for.

"I'm pleased for the staff that has been here through it all. We go back to the days when they had to bring their own pens and paper and toilet paper to the office. Those days are gone and they should take great pride in that."

That said, forgive the club's big brains if their celebration is somewhat muted. And here's where the enormous asterisk comes into play: the Grey Cup profit -- coupled with the $700,000 gift the Canadian Football League and its members provided for changing divisions last year -- helped soothe the sting of what would have been a $1.3-million loss on 2006 operations.

As it is, the team's '06 loss was just under $600,000 after recording a $770,406 deficit in '05.

And now Bomber management are wondering this aloud: with player salary costs and operating costs forever increasing, how many more dollars can it not only squeeze out of the corporate community, but out of a deteriorating 50-plus-year-old facility?

"We recognize full well that one or two or three bad years in this business can absolutely eat up that $4 million," said Bauer.

"We need a new facility and we need a new facility now. That is not an option. That is crystal-clear." Even as quickly as $4 million can evaporate in the CFL, it does give the Bombers a certain degree of leverage in mapping out the future.

"It's always better to negotiate from a position of stability," said Bauer. "Any time a business makes a turnaround like this... you've got a franchise that has a seven-figure bank account, has significant value and is sitting on what is arguably the most valuable piece of commercial real estate in the province, which you have the rights to develop... you tell me if this football club is much more attractive than it was seven years ago."

Back from brink

A peek inside some of the key numbers revealed in the Blue Bombers' 2006 statement of operations:

HEALTHY NUMBERS

* Whatever way you choose to spin it, the bottom line is the bottom line -- the Bombers are in the black for the first time in decades, with a $4-million surplus.

* The total game revenue for 2006 was $4.5 million, up from $3.7 million in 2005. That number has improved dramatically since the new millennium: in 1999 Bomber game revenue was $2.43 million. * Somehow, some way the football club continues to squeeze more sponsorship dollars out of the community and an aging facility: the team's revenue was $4.75 million last year, more than double what it was in 1998.

* The cheque cut for the Bombers from the CFL was $1.9 million, including a $700,000 bonus for switching to the East Division. That number should grow when the new TV deal kicks in for 2008.

SCARY NUMBERS

* Peel away the Grey Cup dough and bonus money from the CFL and the Bombers have lost $1.37 million over the past two years ($597,182 in 2006 and $770,406 in 2005).

* The Bombers' net operating expenses were just over $12 million; up almost $2 million from 2005 and a whopping $4.5 million dating back to '99.

* For all the talk of league-wide growth, the annual cheque from CFL headquarters was $1.2 million (minus the division-switch payout). That's up just slightly from almost a decade ago: in 1998 the CFL payout to each team was $945,816.

JUICY NUMBER

* All CFL teams will work under a new salary cap this year of $4.05 million. By comparison, that will be a cut for most teams in the CFL -- including the Bombers, who spent roughly $4.3 million last year -- but up significantly over the last little while. Example: in 1999 the Bombers spent $2.6 million on player salaries.

Only The Lonely.. · #**145** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 2:50 PM**

Blue to move soon on new facility

Thu Mar 8 2007 | By Ed Tait | Winnipeg Free Press

THEY'VE had tire-kickers come forward and some requests for more information.
But the grand total of parties who have officially made a pitch to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in their call for stadium proposals still stands at one -- local business magnate David Asper.

The club has set the end of this month as the deadline for expressions of interest in developing their Polo Park site and either refurbishing Canad Inns Stadium or building a new facility.

After that, the board hopes to move quickly on making a decision on which path to take.

"I'll be very honest with you: I would love to be in a position to be able to say at the end of April/early May, 'Here's the direction the board would like to see this debate go,'" said Bomber chairman Ken Hildahl. "Some of that will be predicated on how many proposals we get. We may or may not have any proposals and it could be as simple then as starting a round of negotiations with David in terms of what the ownership structure looks like.

"But we want to get moving forward as quickly as we can so that we can at least meet with the governments and say, 'Here's the plan, here's what we need (from) you.'"
Asper's vision -- delivered with a glitzy package in early January -- calls for a $40-million investment of his family's money toward a $120-million, 40,000-seat new stadium that would also include $40 million from both the provincial and federal governments.

He would also allocate an additional $25 million toward an on-site retail component in exchange for complete control of the franchise, which would then be operated as a private corporation. Accepting Asper's plan would end 76 years of community ownership.

"When you're managing a trust for the public you do have to take the time and do the due diligence," Hildahl said. "We've had those discussions with David. He's been on the board in the past and totally understands that you can't just make a quick decision. He's been very patient.

"There's a ton of work that has to be done yet but we're certainly not going to drag our feet."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

feepa · #**146** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 2:11 PM**

LOL @ this topic being in Alberta

Calgarian · #**147** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 2:17 PM**

Winnipeg is Calgary's newest suburb. lol

Only The Lonely.. · #**148** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 2:29 PM**

Hey give us our stadium back!

You greedy bastards!

Greco Roman · #**149** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyc

Winnipeg is Calgary's newest suburb. lol

That would be the day the world comes to a crashing end where Satan rules with an iron fist.

feepa · #**150** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 2:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

That would be the day the world comes to a crashing end where Satan rules with an iron fist.

__________________
Winnipeg is on the move to a suburb of Calgary; we WILL make our mark!

quote for accuracy...

Greco Roman · #**151** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by feepa

quote for accuracy...

Cute.

It's too bad Edmonton has already been there for the last 15 years; they beat Winnipeg to the punch on that one

feepa · #**152** Posted **Mar 15, 2007, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

Cute.

It's too bad Edmonton has already been there for the last 15 years; they beat Winnipeg to the punch on that one

You realize that the transfer of people between Calgary and Edmonton is about the same right? As many people go to Calgary to live from Edmonton, as the other way around.... as far as Winnipeg goes, I can't say the same is true....

And, in case you didn't notice, I was just giving you a little ribbing...

Greco Roman · #**153** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 12:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by feepa

You realize that the transfer of people between Calgary and Edmonton is about the same right? As many people go to Calgary to live from Edmonton, as the other way around.... as far as Winnipeg goes, I can't say the same is true....

And, in case you didn't notice, I was just giving you a little ribbing...

A few years back, I do believe it was a different story.

These days, I can't tell if some forumers are joking or being just plain ignorant because I express an opinion. I've had too many people jump all over me and just be too fucking condescending, especially when I defend Winnipeg since Winnipeg gets bashed all the freking time as I am sick of it. And I guess it gets on my nerves especially when it comes from Alberta (extra-especially Edmonton since they aren't exactly a powerhouse city and are developing the "I'm better than you" centre-of-the-universeCalgarian attitude) or Ontario.

But I guess it's all good

The Jabroni · #**154** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 12:37 AM**

...so, when are we moving this topic back to Manitoba? The stadium just didn't just give up on Winnipeg, did it?

itom 987 · #**155** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 2:07 AM**

It's now in the Manitoba/Saskatchewan section.

Greco Roman · #**156** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 2:14 AM**

Good.

viperred88 · #**157** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 3:12 AM**

yay we got our thread back

The Jabroni · #**158** Posted **Mar 16, 2007, 2:03 PM**

Yes! Thank you!

Only The Lonely.. · #**159** Posted **Mar 29, 2007, 5:18 PM**

Bombers ponder stadium proposals
Committee keeps details under wraps

Thu Mar 29 2007 | By Ed Tait | Winnipeg Free Press

IT'S still a dream made up mostly of architectural drawings and with just as many questions and answers, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers finally have some new stadium options to study.

The Bombers' five-member stadium subcommittee got their first look at three proposals Wednesday afternoon after the window calling for expressions of interest on a new facility officially closed earlier in the week.

Only one proposal has been made public -- media giant David Asper unveiled his plan in January -- but it's believed one of the other bids includes Canad Inns Corporation and involved the old Canada Packers site in St. Boniface.

The Bombers are not partnering with a developer as part of the third bid, as had been speculated.

Bomber chairman Ken Hildahl, claiming a confidentiality agreement, would not reveal any specifics about the two new proposals or their locations. The subcommittee he leads will report to the rest of the Bomber board in mid-April.

"We took the first cut at them and we've got a number of questions we want the consultants to get clarity on," Hildahl said. "We need some more answers on a wide range of issues, whether it's the structure of the commercial development, the financing... it's all part of the normal process when you first see proposals.

"It's not just a pipe dream. There are some real proposals with real numbers. But can I sit here and say with certainty that will end up with a new stadium? I'd be very cautious in making that type of bold statement. There's a lot of people that still have to come together to make this happen."

The Canad Inns Corporation did not return calls or e-mails from the Free Press but Asper, who first made his pitch for ownership of the team last May and launched a website in January, has made his intentions clear.

He's also pushing for the team to expedite the process so that shovels can get into the ground on a new facility.

"I remain very hopeful in two respects," said Asper, who is currently in Israel. "First, that they pick me because I think I've got the best plan for the fans and for the future of the football club. And, secondly, that they do it soon so that the fans can enjoy the benefits of a fantastic new facility.

"Plus, you can't really haven't a meaningful conversation with any level of government unless you can go to them and say, 'I'm the guy.'

"I hope now that we can move on and get going on this. Let's get at it."

Only The Lonely.. · #**160** Posted **Mar 29, 2007, 5:20 PM**

Proposals are in: Bombers have monumental decision to make

By KIRK PENTON -- Sun Media | March 27th, 2007

The proposal window is officially closed, and now it's time for the Winnipeg Football Club to make a monumental decision.

WFC chairman Ken Hildahl said yesterday there will be between two and four proposals to redevelop the Canad Inns Stadium site, which is the home of the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

That total includes the bid from Winnipeg media mogul David Asper, whose $145-million proposal includes a $25-million retail development and his taking ownership of the team. It would also require $80 million in provincial and federal government money.

After Asper revealed his bid in January, the WFC put out a call for expressions of interest from other developers, who had until 5 p.m. yesterday to submit their proposals. The Winnipeg office of BDO Dunwoody Corporate Finance Inc., which accepted the proposals on behalf of the club, will present them to a WFC board subcommittee tomorrow.

Hildahl, along with three or four other board members, will sit on the subcommittee, which will then present its findings to the entire board by mid-April.

"And that committee's got a lot of work to do between now and the middle of April when they'll make a presentation to the board," Hildahl said. "We'll take a look at what's the best direction and the best option for the football club and for football in the city."

It's believed there will be three serious bids when all is said and done: Asper's; another from Canad Inns Corporation; and a public/private venture from the Bombers and a developer.

Asper said in January that he hoped to have the Bombers playing in a new stadium by next year, but Hildahl said 2008 is "probably a little ambitious," regardless of which proposal the board selects.

"We're moving this along as quickly as we can. We don't want to lose that momentum," he said. "We gotta get to a point where we choose a path, we choose a developer that we're going to go to the dance with, so to speak, and see where it takes us.

"Even at that point there's no guarantees of anything because most of the proposals, I'm assuming, will involve an element of public participation through the feds and the province."

The board of directors has said all along that the public will have a say in the final outcome too, since the team has been community-owned since its inception in 1930.

In other Bomber news yesterday, the club announced that former Winnipeg Jets coach Tom McVie will be the new featured speaker at the Never Alone Luncheon on April 10.

John Ferguson was originally scheduled to speak, but he had to withdraw due to modifications to his cancer treatment schedule. The luncheon will now feature a salute to Ferguson.