TD Coliseum | ? | 4 fl | Under Construction

[Jon Dalton]

It sounds like the Vrancor proposal has more meat to it and they have the deep pockets make it happen. Urban Precinct has a loftier vision but if they're going to be waiting for funding from upper levels of government, forget it. How has that ever worked out for us?

Is there video of the presentations anywhere on the internet?

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Is there video of the presentations anywhere on the internet?

Here's the video from the General Issues Committee, skip to around 2:50:40 mark

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...2-05-09-27.mp4

Vrancor presents first and immediately after Urban Precinct Group presents.

[king10]

Its more similar to Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta IMO.

[Crapht]

Do I understand correctly? Is the Urban Precinct proposal saying they would like to demolish the current Convention Centre and build a new Art Gallery in it's place with a tower over top and then demolish the current Art Gallery and build two new towers in that space? I'd love to see this stretch of King street more walkable and open to retail along with Summer's Lane but I'd like to see the AGH remain intact. Take down Ellen Fairclough and build a 60 story tower if you need to but leave the AGH as is and maybe expand into the sculpture garden.

[king10]

Highly doubt we see a 60 story tower.

[Crapht]

Originally Posted by king10

Highly doubt we see a 60 story tower.

I'm more concerned with the preservation of the AGH.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

Originally Posted by Crapht

I'm more concerned with the preservation of the AGH.

Why the concern with saving the building? I have been there many times and I have always found the general flow awkward. More importantly, most of it was designed before anyone thought that barrier free access would be a concept. While accommodations have been made, they aren't always what one would plan from new.

[thistleclub]

Why the concern with saving the building? I have been there many times and I have always found the general flow awkward. More importantly, most of it was designed before anyone thought that barrier free access would be a concept. While accommodations have been made, they aren't always what one would plan from new.

It underwent an $18.2M reno 15 years ago, and announced plans for a $30M reno seven years ago that may or may not still be in the works. (That price tag would probably not come close to the cost of a from-scratch build for a facility that has almost hospital-grade technical specs.)

Nobody as yet has proposed privatizing the AGH, so replacing the gallery on an artificial timeline would be a huge project floated on the public dime. That would be an entertaining prospect. Twenty years ago, there was talk of moving the AGH into the newly-vacant Eaton Centre, and council has more recently debated selling off the gallery's permanent collection to improve its bottom line. (The City makes an annual contribution of $1M+ to the AGH.)

Edited to add some pertinent detail in the Feb 11, 2020 Spec:

"In 2013 the art gallery under previous president and chief executive officer Louise Dompierre proposed a $30-million fundraising campaign to finance a refurbished and expanded gallery that would have included a new wing, three new studios and additional gallery space on the second floor. But councillors rejected the idea that the city would help pay for it, believing residents were opposed to paying higher taxes for the project. The design and fundraising plans were left in limbo until they were scrapped in 2017 as unrealistic."

[Crapht]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

Why the concern with saving the building? I have been there many times and I have always found the general flow awkward. More importantly, most of it was designed before anyone thought that barrier free access would be a concept. While accommodations have been made, they aren't always what one would plan from new.

In my opinion, 100% yes it's worth saving. I'm not a member anymore, although I should be. I love the AGH. I love the building. The programing. I enjoy getting lost and losing track of time wandering through the gallery. I don't believe it needs to be rebuilt. If there is an opportunity to expand on it then by all means, I would support that. I'm just not a fan of re-doing things every generation. I like the Ellen Fairclough building only because it adds an extra texture to the skyline from a distance. I wouldn't be sad to see it replaced with something tall and exceptional that animates King street which at this point is a disaster.

[atnor]

Is the AGH as is worth preserving? Never been so I’m genuinely curious.

[King&James]

I think this is Vrancor's to lose, and they will turn on the jets with a few extra high-rise details (a hotel and 1-2 residential towers), along with the no cost to City and an aggressive timeline to get it done. Wonder if they will entertain partners?

[drpgq]

Rage Against the Machine is playing First Ontario in July, unusually along with Toronto and Buffalo this tour.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by drpgq

Rage Against the Machine is playing First Ontario in July, unusually along with Toronto and Buffalo this tour.

Not to belabour the point, but stuff like this is why we need a large arena downtown.

Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Run The Jewels, BTS, Blackpink... None of thes groups are going to a 6-10k seat stadium to play.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

Not to belabour the point, but stuff like this is why we need a large arena downtown.

Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Run The Jewels, BTS, Blackpink... None of thes groups are going to a 6-10k seat stadium to play.

If you think about it, Hamilton has a huge market, including Brantford, Grimsby, Burlington, and St Catherine's and Niagara, all of which can make it into and out of Hamilton much quicker and easier than Toronto.

Plus with downtowns revival, there are bars, restaurants and cafes for before and after the concert or show.

[realcity]

I just hope whatever one wins keeps the Bulldogs and Andeluer happy. Has the most high rise dense development. I never heard about Pearle's proposal.

[SteelTown]

Deal for Hamilton’s entertainment venues expected Friday

Teviah Moro
Spectator Reporter
https://www.thespec.com/news/council...ed-friday.html

City council is expected to announce the successful proponent of a multimillion-dollar revamp of Hamilton’s entertainment venues on Friday.

Two groups made public pitches in February to refurbish and operate the downtown arena, convention centre and concert hall.

Behind closed doors, council told economic development staff to keep working with the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group and Vrancor Group on their proposals.

Confidential negotiations have continued and an announcement is expected Friday.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Coun. John-Paul Danko said about deal without offering details. “It’s a big deal.”

Coun. Jason Farr said to expect a statement from Mayor Fred Eisenberger on Friday.

Springing from a motion by Coun. Sam Merulla in 2018, the city’s goal is to have a private-sector investor redevelop the three aging venues owned by the city in order to generate more property tax revenue and end public subsidies to support them.

Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group includes the Mercanti family’s Carmen’s Group, LIUNA Pension Fund, Fengate Capital, Meridian Credit Union, Jetport Inc. and Paletta International.

They’ve proposed a $500-million plan to equip FirstOntario Centre with expandable seating, building a new convention centre at the location of a renovated City Centre, a mixed-use tower where the existing convention centre sits and an enhanced concert hall.

Carmen’s Group operates the convention centre on behalf of the city.

Vrancor’s proposal — which it has cited as a minimum $200-million investment — is for a renovated and expandable arena with two office towers, a new hotel, a larger convention centre at the existing site and an upgraded concert hall.

Vrancor Group is owned by Darko Vranich, one of Hamilton’s biggest developers of hotels and apartment buildings in recent years.

Representatives of the competing bidders didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

On July 6, councillors met in camera for an update on the talks and voted publicly to instruct staff to declare the properties surplus to unload them through sale, lease or easement.

As well, staff were told to firm up a memorandum of understanding and other agreements. There was no public mention of the winning proponent. Related documents and reports weren’t released.

On Friday, councillors are expected to sign off on the final details.

[king10]

Wonder how the one bid using the City centre as the new convention centre would work with the current owners just releasing drawings of their condo proposal.

[King&James]

Originally Posted by king10

Wonder how the one bid using the City centre as the new convention centre would work with the current owners just releasing drawings of their condo proposal.

So Vrancor won?

[ChildishGavino]

The rendering for the City Centre looked preliminary to me, it'll likely not look like that. Plus I don't think a moved convention centre will take up the whole lot, just a portion.

[King&James]

big reveal tomorrow - any details on when/time of day council is meeting to announce