Tim Hortons Field | 40m | ? | Complete

[drpgq]

Originally Posted by dennis1

for how long?

Indefinitely? I think Ivor Wynne could last a while longer.

[SteelTown]

Sounds like Scott Mitchell has said it's Aldershot or nothing.

[markbarbera]

Not a big surprise, seeing as our amazingly inept council has failed to resolve a location acceptable to all parties involved. Hate to say it, but I called this a year ago when council refused to research a feasible 'Plan B' location for the now-defunct Barton and Tiffany proposal. If they performed their due diligence back then we wouldn't be behind the eight-ball now.

Personally I think the Aldershot location would work, although I'd rather see the infrastrucutre investment and the related economic activity from the Ticats remain within the city boundaries (remember a few months ago Tourism Hamilton identified that the Ticats account for 25% of all tourism-based revenue for the city). Bit of a moot point though, seeing as there isn't enough time to bring the Aldershot proposal together.

[SteelTown]

Burlington share of stadium cost: $0

BURLINGTON A Burlington Pan Am Stadium consortium has proposed a $90 to $120 million stadium for Aldershot that would not require a municipal contriwbution from the City of Burlington.

That was the offer Tiger-Cat president Scott Mitchell and consortium partner Angelo Paletta made to Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring in a 90-minute private meeting Wednesday.

“I think we tried to provide a solution that mitigates any financial risk or obligations to the City of Burlington,” Mitchell said following the meeting.

Mitchell said as part of the deal, the private consortium would manage and operate the 22,000 seat stadium for the municipality.

“We have tried to give them a compelling business case,” he said. “What we are proposing involves no financial contribution from the City of Burlington.”

“We have tried to give them a compelling business case that will result in tens of millions in revenue for the city and region.”

And Burlington appears ready to play ball.

“How can we not look at this?” Goldring said afterwards. “They have come with an offer we can’t refuse to look at.”

Goldring briefed his council after the meeting and believes he has sufficient support to have city staff explore the stadium offer. And he said that if resolution to do that passes, he will be on the telephone to Pan Am organizers and the province to seek an extension to the Feb. 1 deadline for a site selection.

The proposal depends on the Pan Am organizing committee providing $70 to $100 million in funding that was to go to a Hamilton stadium, before Hamilton council ran out of sites.

Goldring said Burlington would be responsible for the infrastructure needs for the area but acknowledged the city would be paying for that in any event, stadium or no stadium.

“Clearly this is a great opportunity for the city to investigate,” he said. “This is something we have to strongly consider.”

Asked why Hamilton would be asked for $45 million for a stadium and Burlington might get there without any contribution, Goldring said it was his understanding there were bigger challenges involved with some of the other Hamilton sites.

Mitchell had stated previously that the city would have to make a financial contribution to the project.

The huge sweetener comes from Paletta, who told the mayor and city staffers that the stadium would be the catalyst to kick start more than $100 million in development on the adjacent 125 acres of land he owns.

“I think it was a good meeting. I think we have alleviated a lot of concern on the financial side,” he added.

Paletta, who is the key figure in the Burlington consortium, is offering the private land as part of its portion of a $30 million contribution for the project, said the development would include a hotel, restaurants, retail and a training centre for sports excellence.

“It’s huge,” Paletta said of the associated development, most of which would begin alongside the stadium construction. “A lot of it will go hand-in-hand.”

Paletta said he has already received overtures from investors ready to proceed with the development should the stadium receive the green light.

Mitchell and Paletta said the next step belongs to city council. They hope council will give a staff direction Thursday to explore the stadium project.

Mitchell, Tiger-Cats vice-president Doug Rye and Paletta, president of Paletta International Inc., met with Goldring, his chief of staff Frank McKeown, city manager Roman Martiuk and Burlington Councillor Rick Craven.

Burlington council is set to meet Thursday morning to consider Goldring’s recommendation to have city staff explore the Aldershot stadium issue.

Martiuk has suggested if the recommendation wins support, he would report back in two weeks on a list of questions the city would seek answers to on the stadium.

But timing could be crucial. The Pan Am host committee has insisted the stadium site must be settled by Feb. 1.

And Hamilton council is expected to revisit recommending Confederation Park as the stadium location when it meets again Wednesday.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...stadium-cost-0

[flar]

As soon as you cross the magical boundary between Burlington and Hamilton, the investors are lined up.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by flar

As soon as you cross the magical boundary between Burlington and Hamilton, the investors are lined up.

I really don't see why? Aldershot's got nothing on downtown Hamilton. I was there on NYE switching from a bus to a train, and my girlfriend, as an impartial observer to the entire stadium saga, made the comment "it smells like a field here".

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by Jon D

I really don't see why? Aldershot's got nothing on downtown Hamilton. I was there on NYE switching from a bus to a train, and my girlfriend, as an impartial observer to the entire stadium saga, made the comment "it smells like a field here".

The answer is in your girlfriend's observation. The field is a large parcel of land with one owner wanting to develop it. Paletta is offering $30 mil plus the land for the stadium because he has over 100 acres of land next to it that the Palettas can develop into a Sports and Entertainment district, making his private investment in the stadium worthwhile. Hamilton simply does not have a parcel of land like that available - that it wants to consider. The same sort of development could have fit on Confed Park, but apparently we prefer go karts, teenage drunken bonfire parties and a underused wave pool to a multimillion dollar waterfront development opportunity.

[drpgq]

I'm still skeptical about this costing Burlington 0 dollars. Every site that Hamilton looked at ended up with a ton of extra costs. I would trust a developer about as much as a used car salesman.

As a fan, I'm also wondering about the Cats due diligence on their fan base especially the ones who are actually attending. I have season tickets now, but if it moved to Aldershot I might consider downgrading to a flex pack. Labour Day in the middle of some Aldershot field just wouldn't have the same atmosphere. I'm sure they've done research where suburbanites who don't go to the game now have said they would if it wasn't in the lower city, but it is pretty easy to say that over the phone when it costs you nothing, rather than paying the cash and having to endure some traffic inconvenience no matter where the stadium ends up. Add in the possibility of future 3 and 16 seasons when you've pissed off some of their hardcore Hamilton base and you're left with some temperamental suburbanites.

[matt602]

Honestly, let Burlington take this crap away from us. Lets just hope council will have the brains to drop the Confed. Park thing and focus on our own scalable stadium at the West Harbor. This really is a gift in disguise.

[bigguy1231]

When was Scott Mitchell put in charge of the Hostco purse strings. Someone from Hostco or the province needs to slap him down.

The issue of the funding was already clarified by Ian Troop. The money is Hamiltons as long as City council wants a stadium. All city council has to do is vote in favour of the smaller stadium at the West Harbour and the Ticats are on their own as far as funding a stadium in Aldershot.

If I was a Burlington councillor I would want something in writing from the Ticats before I agree to anything. As it is now it's all just smoke and mirrors. The Ticats do not have any authority to commit government money to any stadium project no matter where it is.

[markbarbera]

Council was given the option of a smaller stadium at Barton and Tiffany last August when they went with that site without the Ticats on board and wisely gave Hostco a pass on that and sought out an alternative site for a full size stadium. Through a series of bad decisions Hamilton has managed to all but allow a golden opportunity slip out of its hands.

Honestly, there is absolutely no need for another 6000-seat stadium anywhere in Hamilton, certainly not in the West Harbour area. It would be a terrible waste of money. Can we please move on with the official plan of residential and supporting commercial development for West Harbour?

At this stage of the game, Hamilton council just needs to throw in the towel and recommend to Hostco that the Aldershot location be considered in lieu of a Hamilton location. Let's cut our losses and focus on the velodrome venue before we end up losing that facility too.

[SteelTown]

Ti Cats are leaving Hamilton so might as well build a smaller stadium, demolish Ivor Wynee, sell the land, money collected use towards upgrading the stadium. The new stadium can serve high school football, a soccer team, a lacrosse team and amphitheatre.

From my understanding if we go ahead with a smaller scalable stadium HostCo will cover the entire cost.

[flar]

Hamilton doesn't need a small stadium, especially at the West Harbour. It would be a total waste. Any larger events could use the almost brand new McMaster Stadium. Besides, what's wrong with Brian Timmis for high school and amateur sports? They could even demolish most of Ivor Wynne to make a smaller stadium suitable for those things.

[SteelTown]

Brian Timmis is old and outdated and surrounded with residential homes. Not suitable for an amphitheatre.

[thurmas]

Being from Winnipeg what I don't understand is why does Burlington pay nothing and Hamilton had to pay what $50-60 million. Also why is the latest proposal only seat 22,000 that is way too small. The ti-cats average over 23,000 just last year at Ivor Wynn. With a new stadium there is the novelty of a new facility which always draws more fans the first few years why would the ti-cats do this. If Bob Young was smarter he should have leaked this propsal to Burlington a few months ago so atleast they could study it in secret because Hamilton kept changing it's mind on sites. I was siding with Young for awhile but looking back I was wrong both sides have really messed this up. WH wouldn't have killed the ti-cats because of poor signage or parking they would have done well. The city though in it's indecision and waffling on various sites is also to blame.

[markbarbera]

Burlington council has voted 5-2 in favour of directing staff to report back on Aldershot stadium proposal. Burlington City Staff to present preliminary report on Jan 18.

Meanwhile, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce issues a 'call to action to it's membership to contact Hamilton Ciy Council and pressure them to keep the Ticats and Pan Am in the city instead of letting it slip away to Burlington.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...stadium-report

Hear that whooshing sound? That's the sound of Hamilton's opportunity to shine during the Pan Am Games as well as a chance to gain a subsidized new CFL-grade stadium go swirling down the toilet.

[dennis1]

Originally Posted by thurmas

Being from Winnipeg what I don't understand is why does Burlington pay nothing and Hamilton had to pay what $50-60 million. Also why is the latest proposal only seat 22,000 that is way too small. The ti-cats average over 23,000 just last year at Ivor Wynn. With a new stadium there is the novelty of a new facility which always draws more fans the first few years why would the ti-cats do this. If Bob Young was smarter he should have leaked this propsal to Burlington a few months ago so atleast they could study it in secret because Hamilton kept changing it's mind on sites. I was siding with Young for awhile but looking back I was wrong both sides have really messed this up. WH wouldn't have killed the ti-cats because of poor signage or parking they would have done well. The city though in it's indecision and waffling on various sites is also to blame.

Thurmas they trying to pull a leafs. They can charge more for tickets with less seats.

[realcity]

From that location you can see the West Harbour... lol

[realcity]

Why is the AIC Stadium only 22,000? I hope it can be expanded to 32,000 or it will never host the Grey Cup.

[Jon Dalton]

I'm amazed anyone takes the Paletta / Mitchell offer at face value. It's numbers pulled out of someone's ass. Council voted to get a report which will consist of 'questions to be answered' meanwhile Hostco needs a firm commitment. Aldershot isn't the only shot, or even a long shot. It's just shot.