[BCTed]

Overall, I am pretty happy with this whole deal.

Notes:
1. It is actually happening AND it is a legit really big spend AND it is privately funded AND it involves the biggest names in the arena and concert businesses.
2. It looks like there will be a ton more food and drink options and a ton more concourse space and it will just feel more modern and big-league.
3. There will be a bit of an exterior clean-up, but nothing substantial. I am cool with that.
4. They have not announced a new video board. OVG did not put one into Baltimore's arena either, citing the focus on the concert business. It will be a shame if the current board does not get upgraded. It is crap. Let's see.
5. I am sure that they will be able to get an AHL team or an OHL team in there and there will probably be NHL and/or NBA pre-season games taking place, along with wrestling or other sports. I am not excited by the OHL or AHL and it is too bad that the NHL remains a pipe dream. And as big as these renos are, it will probably still not quite be an NHL-ready arena once they are done, e.g. it will not have an NHL-sized number of suites.
6. The celebrity chef restaurant sounds pretty cool.
7. They have to do something about the troubled people near the arena. I do not know what.

On the whole, pretty darn exciting news for Hamilton and its downtown!