Interesting that they may look to bring an AHL team back. I was more interested in the AHL Bulldogs instead of the OHL version.

$280 million is way more than I would have expected would ever be spent on this arena. Best thing we could have hoped for aside from an NHL team.

That wood is part of the acoustics of that auditorium. If they were stupid enough to remove it they would lose one of the most acoustically attuned concert facilities in the world. It is known for its acoustics.

I'm speaking more of the lobby areas. The interior of the building is absolutely stunning.

Here's a detailed article from VenuesNow about the $280M deal

OVG is parent company to VenuesNow.

$280 MILLION HAMILTON ARENA PROJECT TAKES SHAPE
https://venuesnow.com/280-million-ha...t-takes-shape/

Soon FirstOntario Centre will be renamed to something else.

Hockey and basketball as "special events"... used to be that the concerts qualified as such.

But more activity downtown will be a great thing.

Yes. The hall itself should only need cosmetic changes. Lobby, ancillary spaces, entry... they can be modernized but to be honest I love the way they are now.

I think this was Garwood-Jones' best work in the city.

Seats. They really need to replace the seating too! lol

The seats seemed fine when we went for a concert last Friday?

Maybe they're planning on getting NHL and NBA pre-season games.

Just imagine what even a modest new videoboard alone would do for this place. The current one is so shabby and out-of-date and small and has such poor resolution --- I doubt that there is one in the OHL or anywhere in junior hockey that is as bad as this one. The new board in Brantford is 1000x better and probably cost less than a million bucks. And hopefully the new Hamilton one will be much better than that one.

It is my understanding that the deal comes with a few development parcels. Do we expect to see a new hotel as part of the complex?

Based on the render, it’ll be a very basic scoreboard, on par for the venue being a concert focused venue. Nonetheless, a nice upgrade.

They seem to have named the district (The Commons) so it seems they have plans to do some work on those other properties. I'm really curious about the details and what else might come to fruition. It's a bit odd though because I think they're just leasing those other properties as well, so I'm not sure what the financials would look like on Redevelopment of parcels they don't own.

"Construction manager named for massive revamp of Hamilton’s First Ontario Centre"
from Daily Commercial News

EllisDon has been selected as the construction manager for the $280 million renovation at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ont., project developer Oak View Group (OVG) reported to the Daily Commercial News.

This comes after the City of Hamilton signed a deal with OVG and the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG) to respectively undergo the FirstOntario Centre facelift and revitalization of the downtown core.

OVG is leading the project to transform the facility, formerly known as Copps Coliseum, into an 18,000-seat capacity venue.

HUPEG, a regional consortium is working in collaboration with leading industry consultants and development partners including LIUNA, First Ontario Credit Union and Meridian Credit Union to revitalize downtown Hamilton’s arts and entertainment district.

The colossal overhaul first came to light in 2021 when HUPEG signed master agreements with the City of Hamilton to renovate the centre, the FirstOntario Concert Hall and the Hamilton Convention Centre with an initial $50 million private investment.

“It was the most modest renovation you could imagine and did not include the big picture,” said OVG president Tom Pistore.

The developer stepped in with plans to build a concourse, three new clubs, with state-of-the-art technology and other additional features to bring to light what Pistore calls, “The Oak View Group ‘Grand Vision.’”

He reports other details will include taking into consideration the artists who will perform there and what they need for a spectacular experience – including premium acoustics and other features.

Pistore said these additions, as well as inflation, “cost creep,” and pure economics account for the project’s six-fold cost increase.

“Hamilton is already an important entertainment destination in Canada, and the city deserves a state-of-the-art venue that will attract the world’s best events to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area,” said Tim Leiweke, OVG chairman and CEO.

OVG will partner with Live Nation for venue bookings.

“We are thrilled to contribute to the transformation of FirstOntario Centre into a premier entertainment hub,” said Randy Reymer, EllisDon’s vice-president and area manager for southwestern Ontario. “This endeavour represents not just a renovation, but a commitment to elevating the city’s cultural and economic landscape. At EllisDon, we embrace the challenge of crafting a state-of-the-art venue that blends innovation and accessibility. Our team is excited to play a role in bringing this vision to life, adding to the vibrancy of Hamilton’s downtown core. More than just construction, this project is an investment in the city’s dynamic future, and we are honoured to be a part of it.”

The York Boulevard facility, that first opened in 1985 will, post-renovation will feature a re-imagined facade, premium seating, improved sightlines, upgraded concourses, optimized clubs and suites and artist lounges.

In a statement, the OVG group said the venue will join a rapidly growing southwestern Canadian marketplace with the ability to accommodate larger shows alongside Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. Work is scheduled to begin in spring 2024, and the building is expected to open in the fall of 2025.

Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects is designing the project. It’s part of a larger downtown revitalization project known as “The Commons,” which includes the newly re-imagined arena, a renovated convention centre, significant investments in the Art Gallery of Hamilton and concert hall facilities, as well as new residential, office and retail development.

“It’s a big project and construction of this nature can sometimes create some headaches as it’s happening, but the work (will) transform our downtown core and have an amazing impact on our city. This is going to be a world class venue and will put us on the map as a centre of live music and events,” said City of Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath.

The FirstOntario Concert Hall and the Hamilton Convention Centre are expected to remain open and continue to host events during the planned facelifts.

Renovations were intended to begin in September but were pushed back to allow Grey Cup events to be held at the venue this weekend.

“Born and raised in Hamilton, I have many treasured memories in this city’s arena, concert hall and convention centre,” said PJ Mercanti, HUPEG president and CEO. “I’m honoured to lead our Precinct Group and work alongside OVG Canada and the City of Hamilton.”

Time to get this one moving already, but at least some reputable companies involved (OVG and EllisDon). No thanks to HUPEG and their inept leadership/vision.

I'm not excusing them, but there could be any number of reasons why this is taking so long (e.g., hashing out the details of the deal with OVG, all parties being ready to move on it, etc.)

Darko would have moved very fast. But I fear the result would have been typically Vranich, and we'd all lament.

Plus who knows what entertainment partner would have been brought to the table. I'm not sure if that was ever revealed (?)

I wish I knew more details about this renovation...

Are they even doing anything to the place yet? An OHL season has come and almost gone, I'm sure the city would have appreciated the revenue from the team that seems to have been kicked out a year earlier than needed.

Didn’t they just have a major press conference on renovations starting as early as April/2024?
https://canada.constructconnect.com/...oject-launches

"Hamilton’s on-again, off-again FirstOntario Centre renovation project is slated to start within three months, with shovels hitting the ground in April or May."

We get out pitchforks out June 1st if there is nothing happening :whip:

There's been a ton of people at FOC the last couple of days. Not sure if they're just prepping for a concert on the weekend. There's no events past end of April though which seems to me that there might be a late April early May start. I'll report as I see things as I pass by almost daily.

Maybe they're trying to co-ordinate the First Ontario renovation with LRT completion :clown:

I have no idea, I'm in Woodstock so I rely on this site for news lol. Figured nothing posted since last fall meant nothing going on. I keep hearing Brantford wants a new arena for the Bulldogs, I wonder which gets done first lol.

If Andlauer rekindles his Lime Ridge Mall arena proposal for a site in Brantford, bet on him.

The ever-impending FirstOntario renos have been a big FOC-you to the Bulldogs, and the Around the Bay road race began and ended at Tim Horton's Field because of them. I wonder where the Rock will play next year (presuming the arena project is under way)

The Rock will play in Mississauga next season.

Some of us have been using UrbanToronto more than posting here, so there's been a few updates there: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...b.32788/page-6

I have also started to use UT because it is so easy to post images and links unlike this site. But what I wanted to say is that Brantford Council last week put out a RFP for a downtown arena/entertainment/community complex.

Thanks! I wasn't aware it had been decided.


In other news... and as if we're all shocked... the Bulldogs may never return. The story also noted the idea about development near Aldershot GO that would include an arena (an idea that's come up before)

Bulldogs owner doesn’t expect team to return to Hamilton
Andlauer commits to staying in Brantford if city builds new arena.

Scott Radley
The Hamilton Spectator
Thursday, April 4, 2024

If you’ve been clinging to the hope that the Bulldogs’ stay in Brantford was going to be temporary and the hockey club would be returning when FirstOntario Centre renovations are done, it’s time to adjust your expectations.

So says the team’s owner.

“I don’t expect the Brantford Bulldogs to be back in Hamilton,” Michael Andlauer says.

It’s the most direct he’s ever been on the future of the franchise here. And a significant shift in tone from October when he simply said he didn’t know what would happen down the road.

Why the change?

“As I see it, the landscape is changing rapidly,” he says.

First, the hockey business in Brantford is better than he expected. He wasn’t initially sure a 3,000-seat venue could support a team long term.

Yet the franchise is not only sustainable and breaking even — that happened only a couple of times in two decades here and those were years the team went all the way to the final — but there’s a waiting list for season tickets.

Add to that the fact that he says the players are happy, he has a great relationship with the mayor and council, and that city’s arena upgrade went even better than he expected, and the whole package has been a home run.

“It’s been a flawless season,” he says of the first year in the Telephone City. “The fans have been incredible.”

As a result, when Mayor Kevin Davis asked whether he’d consider making the arrangement permanent if the city built a new arena — a feasibility study is already underway with an answer expected as early as this year — Andlauer agreed.

“I can unequivocally state that if council commits to building this facility, I will commit the Brantford Bulldogs to playing here in Brantford for the long term,” he said in a news release the other day.

...

Two weeks ago, Burlington council agreed to support the concept of a rather massive public-private partnership with Alinea Group Holdings for a development beside the Aldershot GO station that would include housing, a satellite university campus, a hotel and a 5,000-seat arena that could be expanded to 7,000.

It would be years before it was all ready but Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward says this is way past the point of merely dipping a toe into the water. Both the city and the landowner are committed to seeing it happen.

An arena like that would be just about perfect for an OHL team.

“Now all of a sudden,” Andlauer says, “there’s another factor.”

What makes this option particularly intriguing is that Alinea president and CEO, Paul Paletta, is part of Andlauer’s ownership group with the Ottawa Senators.

Then there’s one other issue to consider.

Brantford has spent the year wooing Andlauer and trying to convince him to put down roots there.

“In the meantime, I haven’t heard boo from Hamilton,” he says.

...

Lol another failure on hamiltons part..

I don't think we even deserve to have them back. That said, he could very well change his tune once the renovations are done and the honeymoon phase in Brantford is over. I do hope they will stay and do well there but if they don't, obviously coming back to Hamilton would be his first choice.

Copps is probably too large to host an OHL team, even with curtained-off seats. And I am not sure that many people in Hamilton really care about the OHL or AHL.

I think OVG is likely targeting bigger fish than an OHL franchise for their hockey tenant - that's why. My bet is still that we get an AHL or ECHL team at a minimum. Given OVG's connections to MLSE, by bet is still that the Marlies will move down the QEW. The Marlies average closer to 7,000 fans a game, much higher than the ~3,800 the Bulldogs were averaging.

ECHL maybe, if the league wants to replace the defunct Growlers. I can't see the Leafs moving their AHL team out of Toronto though. They love having them right there at practice, they run the arena, they draw well, etc. Maybe they can convince some other team to move there

I mean, we used to have the Montreal farm team.. so I don't think it's a stretch to get Toronto's which is kind of competing with itself. Mind you I don't know hockey or hockey demand whatsoever, but I do think Hamilton would be a good market for a Toronto farm team. It could attract people into Hamilton and attract Hamilton locals. With Burlington apparently building a small 5000 person arena, they could have smaller events, and sportsball, and Hamilton could have the medium sized stuff.

I don't know that the ECHL is really a bigger fish than the OHL --- it is third-tier pro hockey. You could even argue that the AHL is not a bigger deal than the OHL.

I think they were two separate thoughts... that they're going to target something bigger than the OHL, and in the meantime they get an AHL or ECHL team.

Personally, I think they'll be getting another OHL team again - which shouldn't be hard. The AHL is out of the question unless it's the Leafs AHL farm team.

NHL is out of the question. It'll never happen so everyone should just save the aggravation and wipe that thought from their mind.

Used to being the key term. The Bulldogs were the Oilers AHL team prior to being Montreal's team (and that team was in Halifax and Cape Breton before moving to Hamilton). The trend has been for NHL teams to move their AHL teams as close to their own market as is practical (and interestingly, the Oilers remain the outlier in that regard as the original Bulldogs franchise is now in Bakersfield California). I mean, Hamilton would be a fine location for the Leafs if they weren't already in Toronto with a suitable arena, but they aren't moving out of there now.

Before the bad blood between Andlauer & the city, perhaps he would thought about moving Belleville Senators to Hamilton for a larger revenue gate, but that doesn't seem likely now.

Bakersfield doesn't make sense for Edmonton to move to Hamilton since directionally it's further away.

Marlies aren't moving to Hamilton, so it really comes down to hoping another OHL team moves to Hamilton which is quite plausible.

The AHL is hands down bigger than the OHL.

I would argue both are large just by the nature of them not being junior hockey. But yea, AHL is obviously the next best thing if you can’t get NHL.

I get the Marlies being hesitant to move, but at the end of the day Hamilton would still allow for day-of call ups of players, which is why they want teams close, and the team would have a lot more local meaning here than in Toronto. The only reason attendance is OK in Toronto is because people can afford to go to a Marlies game compared to the insane costs of the Leafs. The actual fan base is very small and the team gets basically 0 media attention.

The last 5 years of the AHL Bulldogs, they consistently drew a lot less than the Marlies in those same years. Also, up to Covid, the OHL Bulldogs were in the same ballpark for attendance as the AHL Bulldogs were. There isn't any evidence that moving the Marlies to Hamilton would be any improvement at all, nor does the attendance really indicate that the AHL is any more important to Hamilton hockey fans than the OHL is. (Which could be read in both cases as not that important at all to the region's hockey fans). In fact, I could see the imagery of being "Toronto's farm team city" not playing well in Hamilton.

For a supposed "sports town" Hamilton hasn't shown as much. It took DECADES for the Ticats to sell out and in a larger stadium they would probably not. And fans are probably ambivalent between any hockey that's sub-NHL (which is NEVER coming here on a permanent basis, so we all need to get over that)

Still, I can see the attraction of the Leafs moving the Marlies here. This town is somewhat divided about cheering for Toronto or Montreal, so maybe the farm team may help tip that balance... and this is anecdotal but among my group of friends they're probably equally divided between the two, with a few Bruins fans in there too.

But I don't think the Leafs would do it without another regular tenant for Coca-Cola/Ricoh.

Doesn't seem like the Hamilton arena operators would be that fussed regardless. If concerts are to be the main draw, sobeit.

Strictly speaking, the quality of AHL play is obviously superior to OHL play, but junior hockey has a lot of appeal because almost all top prospects come through junior programs, but not all top prospects play in the AHL. There is a lot of buzz around draft-eligible players.

Whatever the reason for attendance being decent in Toronto for the AHL, it still tops the attendance that the AHL saw in Hamilton. And it is not as if there was a ton of buzz in Hamilton for the AHL Bulldogs. The Leafs' farm team might do better in Hamilton than past AHL entries, but the Marlies are more than fine where they are.

I don't think the current "holders of rights" to the arena care all that much about attendance for potential new teams/money-makers. They'll do what makes sense for their vision of the venue, and if having something 'regular' that makes a few bucks and doesn't mess up whatever is in the GRAND PLANS works, then it will be added.

Exactly, OVG feels like they can bring in a ton more concerts that can't get time in Toronto and don't seem to care if they push out 40 or so nights of 4000 attendance hockey to make that space available. It will be interesting to see if they carve into or replace London as the "third market" that often seems to happen as tours go through Ontario. They would be competing with themselves but with double the seats at their new toy in Hamilton, I can see London losing some shows.

Of course, maybe they have enough success in Hamilton that it shows Toronto needs a second arena (which many have been saying for a while now already), and I think that would be a jewel in Tim Leiweke's crown. MLSE has some potentially troubling ownership issues coming down the pike and who knows how that might shake out. But I digress lol.

Now, I say this as someone who doesn't follow hockey, but I've never seen anything around town that would indicate this anything but Leafs Nation. There's always rando fans, and of course some will be Habs fans, but calling Hamilton split Leafs/Habs seems out to lunch.

I always got the impression that a lot more people cared more about the OHL Bulldogs than they did about the AHL version. Might have been the influence of listening to TSN Radio though (it's a real shame we lost that).

MLSE and Toronto-based media dominate locally, so the outward signs aren't there. E.g., good luck finding a depth-piece about the Canadiens in the Spec with Torstar running the show, and more Toronto games are on TV -- I recall often seeing Montreal on HNIC when I was a kid; this was much less the case in the 2000s.

There may proportionally be more Leafs fans these days, and I'm getting older so things have likely changed. But back in the 1980s and '90s it seemed like a fairly even split. Toronto had become a respectable team again by 1993 and Montreal was still winning, so the band-wagons were full.

But I bet there are a lot of closet Canadiens fans owing to their record over the past few seasons, aside from that year they beat the Leafs in the first round of the playoffs. And having their farm team here for a number of years helped too.

My prediction is that when Toronto lands a WNBA team, that team will play out of Hamilton. The team will still be called "Toronto" but play out of Hamilton. Similar to the Rock. Just a prediction.

That’s bold but I have to disagree. If MLSE puts the bid in, I think they’ll play at the ACC since the WNBA runs in the summer when the leafs and raptors are off.

If they are able to play in Hamilton, that would be pretty cool but I’m doubtful.