Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3 - Page 85

JHikka · #**1681** Posted **Jun 1, 2018, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

But that said, I'm glad the parties are moving on and hopefully they can work together to bring more teams/events to THF and potentially improve the stadium itself to improve the experience for Ticats fans.

Now that the lawsuit is resolved the CPL team for Hamilton can finally be officially announced. It was holding up their lease agreement, IIRC.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**1682** Posted **Jun 2, 2018, 1:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^THF's development unfolded in the most agonizing way possible, from the somewhat underwhelming design choice, to construction delays, to the anticlimactic opening of a half-finished stadium, to deficiencies and other problems that have persisted. I don't understand why the process had to be so painful.

But that said, I'm glad the parties are moving on and hopefully they can work together to bring more teams/events to THF and potentially improve the stadium itself to improve the experience for Ticats fans.

You forgot location - that was probably the most contentious issue of all.

someone123 · #**1683** Posted **Jun 4, 2018, 9:34 PM**

A photo of the popup stadium (really more or less just two sets of temporary bleachers) going up on the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjones2451

And is going up quickly, courtesy Derek Martin @DerekbySEA

MonctonRad · #**1684** Posted **Jun 5, 2018, 8:50 PM**

One of the nicest photos yet of the new Moncton Events Centre highlighting the plaza in front.

Andre Audet Photography

Next step will be installing the trellises around the skating oval. There is also a $100,000 piece d'art to be installed in the near future as well.

Grand opening is September 7th.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**1685** Posted **Jun 6, 2018, 1:11 AM**

^Very nice.

DLLB · #**1686** Posted **Jun 6, 2018, 2:16 AM**

Looks great Moncton!

Wpg_Guy · #**1687** Posted **Jun 6, 2018, 4:13 AM**

Very nice, i like the grounds

king10 · #**1688** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 2:48 PM**

very nice Moncton. congrats! Hamilton has a big decision to make on whether they want to build a new 15-18,000 seat arena, completely renovate First Ontario Centre, or build a medium sized venue like Moncton has done.

J.OT13 · #**1689** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 4:59 PM**

That's a good looking arena Moncton. Great Job.

Hamilton, I think it's time for a new arena. I would probably go with something along the lines of the Bell-MTS Place (15,000 range) with the hope that a new venue will attract more fans to Bulldogs' games and continue to host decent sized concerts and events and maybe even keep the door open for an NHL franchise eventually.

esquire · #**1690** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 6:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's a good looking arena Moncton. Great Job.

Hamilton, I think it's time for a new arena. I would probably go with something along the lines of the Bell-MTS Place (15,000 range) with the hope that a new venue will attract more fans to Bulldogs' games and continue to host decent sized concerts and events and maybe even keep the door open for an NHL franchise eventually.

I remember being down on the MTS Centre when it first opened because I thought it was too big for the AHL and too small for the NHL. It was, and still is, smaller and less opulent than pretty well all the other NHL rinks out there. But obviously TNSE was doing its homework at the time and that turned out not to be an issue.

TNSE was smart as they built a rink good enough to get the NHL back at pretty well the lowest possible cost. Even the government contributions to the capital costs were relatively minor.

I guess Hamilton could do worse than that as a model... build a somewhat basic 16 thousand seater, and if the stars line up they can always remodel and bring the interior up to NHL standards at a later date.

Berklon · #**1691** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's a good looking arena Moncton. Great Job.

Hamilton, I think it's time for a new arena. I would probably go with something along the lines of the Bell-MTS Place (15,000 range) with the hope that a new venue will attract more fans to Bulldogs' games and continue to host decent sized concerts and events and maybe even keep the door open for an NHL franchise eventually.

It would just be cheaper to renovate the current arena, remove 3,000 seats, add luxury boxes, etc. Why spend more money on building new in a worse location if it's going to still be NHL-sized anyway? FOC is very upgradable.

In any case, an NHL team isn't going to happen - that ship has sailed 10 years ago.

Franco401 · #**1692** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 12:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

In any case, an NHL team isn't going to happen - that ship has sailed 10 years ago.

Much like the NHL sailed on Winnipeg in 1996, the Bay Area in 1974 and Ohio in 1976?

Berklon · #**1693** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 2:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco401

Much like the NHL sailed on Winnipeg in 1996, the Bay Area in 1974 and Ohio in 1976?

Winnipeg was without a team for about 17 years only. San Jose basically got a team on the first try, and Ohio was without a team for around 22 years... and both teams were in line with the NHL's geographic expansion across the US.

Hamilton hasn't had a team since the 1920s, have tried for the past 30 years to get a team - a couple times via expansion and built an arena for it, and a few times via relocation. All failed. And Hamilton has 2 franchises nearby that opposes it - one of them (Sabres) for fear of genuinely losing a chunk of their fanbase.

I guess if someone comes in and builds a state-of-the-art arena and spends about 1 billion on a team and pays big fees to Toronto and Buffalo - it would be possible. Outside of that, not sure how anyone can see it still being a possibility. There comes a point where the reality of the situation becomes apparent.

Wpg_Guy · #**1694** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 4:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

Hamilton hasn't had a team since the 1920s, have tried for the past 30 years to get a team - a couple times via expansion and built an arena for it, and a few times via relocation. All failed. And Hamilton has 2 franchises nearby that opposes it - one of them (Sabres) for fear of genuinely losing a chunk of their fanbase.
.

Ive never understood this, how many fans are there really of the Sabres in Southern Ontario i dont think you can lose a fan base you dont already have, and would NY residents ditch a team in buffalo for a team in another country? The Sabres are a lousy team, the bulk of their fan base is always going to be regional to the Buffalo area.

Franco401 · #**1695** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 4:51 AM**

I don't really think a team in Hamilton is likely, but it's foolish to say the ship has sailed.

Berklon · #**1696** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WpG_GuY

Ive never understood this, how many fans are there really of the Sabres in Southern Ontario i dont think you can lose a fan base you dont already have, and would NY residents ditch a team in buffalo for a team in another country? The Sabres are a lousy team, the bulk of their fan base is always going to be regional to the Buffalo area.

If you don't think the Sabres (and Bills for that matter) get a lot of business from Canadians, think about this... when the Sabres play an American team at home - they STILL play the Canadian anthem.

Yea, very few NY residents will ditch their team and be a fan of a Hamilton team. That's not the threat to them. There are plenty of Sabres fans in the Niagara region. And not just that, but there are a lot of fans of other teams in Southern Ontario that would make the trek to Buffalo to watch them play the Sabres. I know a bunch of people who do this when their team plays the Sabres. With a team in Hamilton, the Sabres feel there will be less need for fans to watch their team play there.

logan5 · #**1697** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 3:57 PM**

A good argument could be made that Hamilton is actually the 4th largest market in Canada. Using Calgary's standard of measure - metro area 5000 km2 - Hamilton has a Metro population of greater than 1.5 million. Areas like Burlington, Kitchener, St. Catherines, etc. are clearly more part of the Hamilton market than the Toronto market. Whether Hamilton gets a team or not is unknown, but they certainly have the population to support it.

thurmas · #**1698** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 6:33 PM**

I think the most sense for Hamilton is to retrofit Cops Coliseum as it is in a perfect location and just make it 10,000 seats. You see the hard time Quebec City is having trying to land an NHL team and Hamilton with the Leafs and Sabers territories next door I think the chances are slim to none of an NHL team ever being allowed my the NHL in the hammer!

king10 · #**1699** Posted **Jun 10, 2018, 3:52 PM**

One of the issues is Global Spectrum who currently operates the building does well to secure over a dozen concerts a year that command its full 17K capacity. Reducing size to 10K eliminates those larger shows.

A substantial study was done last year which pegged a full scale renovation/upgrade cost at $252M while a scaled back renovation of just the lower bowl at $68M.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...250m-1.4046406

For those geeks out there here is the 250 page study with detailed descpritions and pictures of deficiencies and upgrades.

Item 7.1

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...=English#18656

isaidso · #**1700** Posted **Jun 10, 2018, 4:02 PM**

Hamilton is in the most populated area in the whole country and would have zero problem supporting a NHL team. The biggest road block for NHL in Hamilton has always been the Toronto Maple Leafs wanting the market all to themselves. If it wasn't for the Leafs wanting to maintain their monopoly, Hamilton would have gotten a team decades ago.