TD Coliseum | ? | 4 fl | Under Construction

[king10]

Looks good to me. Adding a third level of suites in between the existing first and second level as well as adding new access points probably sheds capacity to around 15k like Winnipeg which isnt all that bad for us. Lower bowl probably in btw 7 and 8k.

[Berklon]

The exterior looks a lot better than how it currently looks, but the renders are pretty basic so it could still be a disappointment... hard to tell.

I like their approach to blocking off the upper deck. Better than using big curtains, and definitely better than some arenas that just cover the seats.

[JakeLRS]

Looks great and it will offer a very intimate scene. But the lower bowl legroom is still going to reek.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Berklon

The exterior looks a lot better than how it currently looks, but the renders are pretty basic so it could still be a disappointment... hard to tell.

I like their approach to blocking off the upper deck. Better than using big curtains, and definitely better than some arenas that just cover the seats.

What exactly is being proposed to block off upper decks? It's not extremely clear from the photos.

[king10]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

What exactly is being proposed to block off upper decks? It's not extremely clear from the photos.

Looks like something similar to what they use in Atlanta(Mercedes Benz Stadium) to switch from NFL to MLS.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by king10

Looks like something similar to what they use in Atlanta(Mercedes Benz Stadium) to switch from NFL to MLS.

Yes, you can see it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9tmjluKoBw

Although I think it'll look better at FOC with a very light colour which may be reflecting some light to eliminate a dreary look. In the BOOM 101.9 radio interview the other day they mentioned that they'd be using "technology and visual effects to shrink the appearance of the size of the arena". Not sure exactly what technology is involved, but I do like the effort they intend to put into it.

[SteelTown]

I'm curious to see Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group's plans, they have some of Hamilton's heavy hitters part of the group, LiUNA, Paletta International, Joyce family, etc.

However, at the same time, Vrancor has a great record and I'm not worried if Darko was awarded the deal that he won't sit on it for long. Hell, he'll probably erect a crane within five months lol

[SteelTown]

I wonder how Vrancor intends to expand the Convention Centre at its current location, it's already a tight spot.

A cool idea that I thought about would be to expand over the MacNab terminal, the terminal would now be underneath the Convention Centre. Sort of like the St Catharines terminal.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

I wonder how Vrancor intends to expand the Convention Centre at its current location, it's already a tight spot.

If Second Real Properties were inclined to sell off the Robert Thomson Building, that would yield up to 143,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space next door to the Sheraton and above underground parking, potentially in addition to the 52,000 square foot HCC, which is puny (the Sheraton itself offers 18,000 square feet of meeting and convention space).

Not sure if it was engineered to offer the potential for vertical expansion, but doubling the capacity of the convention centre, as Vrancor has pledged, would require adding 2-3 additional storeys to the existing complex. Doubling size sounds like an epic target but the HCC is remarkably tiny. In 2011, HECFI's auditors noted that it was "Ontario's smallest convention centre".

[King&James]

He could bridge over MacNab onto the old Robinson Royal Bank site where they could add a hotel and condo tower.

[StEC]

Originally Posted by King&James

He could bridge over MacNab onto the old Robinson Royal Bank site where they could add a hotel and condo tower.

This would be brilliant!

[SteelTown]

Typically when a Convention Centre are expanded, it's not to add another floor to the existing building, its to add more floor space within the same floor.

So I imagine Vrancor would plan to go over the MacNab terminal and right up to the Church. Another example would be the Winnipeg Convention Centre, which was recently expanded.


https://lmnarchitects.com/project/rb...ntre-expansion

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Typically when a Convention Centre are expanded, it's not to add another floor to the existing building, its to add more floor space within the same floor.

So I imagine Vrancor would plan to go over the MacNab terminal and right up to the Church. Another example would be the Winnipeg Convention Centre, which was recently expanded.

Typically, sure. But since this is mostly beat reporters paraphrasing proposals that have yet to be formally articulated, there is room for interpretation. The plan will be more apparent once the details of the proposal are made explicit, at some point following council's Feb 5 in-camera session.

The way the Vrancor proposal is being spoken of now, it sounds like a $200M pool is funding a state-of-the-art arena reno, a new hotel and an extra 50K sq ft of convention centre space. If that's the case, we can expect efficiencies.

Winnipeg's 2015 expansion, for example, cost $180M, which works out to around $195M in 2019 dollars — but since that project added 10 times the square footage Vrancor is proposing (at 43,000 square feet, the street-spanning City Room is 4/5 the size of the entire HCC), we can expect it would come with a fraction of the price tag.

A 2016 report to council weighed two reno options for FOC: a $68M partial upgrade (adding modern boxes and concessions to the lower bowl) or a $252M blue-sky upgrade to NHL-grade venue criteria. Presumably it'd be closer to the first option, but with a bit more razzle-dazzle.

Building a hotel to the specs of the 182-room Homewood Suites would run around $40M, but it's possible that the facility in question is already in the works.

Adjusted for inflation, the HCC cost $47M in 2019 CAD. Expanding it could conceivably represent around half of the $200M, a rational and self-interested investment given that the HCC's primary reason for existing is to fill hotels, of which Vrancor controls most of the downtown hotel universe.

[LikeHamilton]

More pictures from Vancor.

Vrancor vision of the new FirstOntario Centre 05 by R L, on Flickr

Vrancor vision of the new FirstOntario Centre 04 by R L, on Flickr

Vrancor vision of the new FirstOntario Centre 06 by R L, on Flickr

[Hawrylyshyn]

Love the idea of using that space up top as a "Jurassic Park" style plaza

[JakeLRS]

I also love the idea of turning that area into a Jurassic park style area, only thing is that it would rarely be used.

[king10]

Doesnt look like hes adding a second concourse for the upper level which all the new arenas have. Guess when you only use the upper level once a month its not really needed.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by king10

Doesnt look like hes adding a second concourse for the upper level which all the new arenas have. Guess when you only use the upper level once a month its not really needed.

Where would you put that? At the very top of the upper level? The current concourse is generally where the upper level concourse would be in those new arenas. Those arenas also have club or suite levels in between lower and upper levels. You would need a lower level concourse added about midway up the lower bowl (in order to still have the dressing rooms and service areas under it) and I'm not sure there is the room for that. Ideally the upper concourse would be a few rows up the upper level as well, which allows the space. You would basically need to rebuild the entire building to make that happen I think.

[StEC]

LOVE the entrance from the Jackson Square food court! Opening it up to the mall would be a boon for business especially the food court before & after events! This could finally bring extended hours to parts of the mall instead of most everything closing at 6pm!!!

[king10]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Where would you put that? At the very top of the upper level? The current concourse is generally where the upper level concourse would be in those new arenas. Those arenas also have club or suite levels in between lower and upper levels. You would need a lower level concourse added about midway up the lower bowl (in order to still have the dressing rooms and service areas under it) and I'm not sure there is the room for that. Ideally the upper concourse would be a few rows up the upper level as well, which allows the space. You would basically need to rebuild the entire building to make that happen I think.

Right on top of the current concourse. Look at an aerial of the arena. It was literally made to stack right on top with cut outs to enter into the upper deck. Right now the upper deck you have to walk down to the lower deck. A stacked concourse on top of the current means you would walk laterally to the new upper concourse from the upper deck.

At other arenas you walk laterally into the upper deck, not up a flight of stairs which begins flush with the lower level. See Pittsburgh’s arena or Quebec City.

See below images courtesy of the spec which show the stackable concourse area.