Halifax Stadium Discussion

[c-way-dude]

http://tsn.ca/saskatchewan-roughride...sity-1.1431233

[c-way-dude]

http://torontosun.com/sports/footbal...-the-community

[q12]

Full text:

BARNES: CFL game in Halifax a taste and a test for the community

It could be 2023 before the Atlantic Schooners host Toronto and Saskatchewan in Halifax home games, so consider this summer’s offering just a taste and a test.

With some involvement and the hearty approval of Schooners Sports and Entertainment principals, who are still working feverishly on securing funding for a stadium deal, the Canadian Football League has scheduled a July 25th regular season game between the Argos and Riders at Saint Mary’s University, in Huskies Stadium.

The tilt will serve as something of a litmus test for the greater football appetite in Halifax. Will locals embrace the game? Will folks from Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick travel to Halifax? Will fans make the longer trek from Regina and Toronto? Will people from non-CFL cities across Canada buy tickets to a game in Halifax because they plan to be in the Maritimes in late July, when the place is absolutely gorgeous?

Will Argos’ GM Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemons shake the hand of every single fan in attendance?

Each one of those demographics will be counted on to play a role in supporting the Schooners franchise once, or rather if and when, it is up and running as an official member of the CFL.

So this game is much less a test of the stadium itself, because it in no way resembles the $100-million facility that SSE is hoping to build elsewhere in Halifax. Huskies Stadium is not by any means CFL ready today, but temporary stands will be brought in to ensure capacity for at least 10,000 people, more if there is sufficient demand. A 2005 CFL exhibition game there between the Argos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats drew 11,148, so a crowd in the 12,000 range wouldn’t be unexpected.

This tilt is an Argos’ home game, and they will presumably receive the lion’s share of proceeds. Given that Toronto drew crowds as low as 9,819 for Calgary and 10,368 for Ottawa at BMO Field last season, a gathering of 10,000-plus in Huskies Stadium is not much of a hardship for the Argos’ franchise. The 2019 version of Touchdown Atlantic, which featured the Argos and Alouettes in Moncton, was also a Toronto home game, and attendance was 10,126. It apparently drew a nice mix of Toronto, Montreal and local supporters.

However, the stands in Halifax might well be awash in a sea of green and white, so good on the Argos if they are indeed taking one for the team; the Schooners that is.

A CFL source said SSE will act as the local hosts for the event and principal Bruce Bowser will head up a steering committee whose responsibility is limited to building out a mini Grey Cup festival to be held downtown in conjunction with the game. Situated on pedestrian friendly Argyle Street, which is flush with outdoor dining spots and live music, the festival will include family friendly activities and displays, food and entertainment, as well as the rather legendary Riderville venue, where the odd Pilsener will be served, and spilled.

Word is the Riders will be coming to Halifax earlier than they would normally travel to a regular road game destination, to help whip up a football frenzy. The league is clearly trying to stack the deck in their favour, and that of SSE. Makes sense.

With Bowser out front on the committee, SSE maintains a valuable football presence in the community they hope to call home sooner than later. What’s more, it will also allow fellow SSE principal Anthony LeBlanc to concentrate on moving forward with the stadium deal funding.

Word is LeBlanc has had productive discussions with the Nova Scotia government, talking about options for provincial involvement in the building of a stadium, but SSE has yet to present a formal proposal to the province.

SSE has secured a pledge of $20 million from Halifax Regional Municipality, payable on substantial completion of stadium construction. It was a crucial piece of financial backing and will be leveraged as SSE needs to tap the province, perhaps the federal government, and a lending institution to flesh out the remaining $80 million required to build their vision.

The stadium and the franchise is obviously years from coming to fruition, and in the meantime, the CFL is wise to continue leaving a footprint in the Maritimes each season. It was also necessary to move this game away from Moncton, where a Touchdown Atlantic game has been played five times.

Though they will be Atlantic Canada’s team, their home will be in Halifax and they need to grow their local presence.

dbarnes@postmedia.com

twitter.com/sportsdanbarnes

https://torontosun.com/sports/footba...-the-community

[Migs]

Our family booked flights already. Looking for some advice on good hotels close to all the attractions. Can’t wait, first time going east of Montreal in Canada.

[c-way-dude]

www.nsbuzz.ca/life/land-purchased-for-halifaxs-cfl-stadium

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Migs

Our family booked flights already. Looking for some advice on good hotels close to all the attractions. Can’t wait, first time going east of Montreal in Canada.

Lot's of great hotels downtown close to all the attractions. The Harbourfront Marriot might be a good one or the Westin. There's is also a new Sutton Place hotel that will be opening soon at the Halifax Convention Centre. That would be very close to the games festivities that will be taking place on Argyle St.

[Colin May]

On January 10th 4 parcels of land in Woodside were sold in one transaction for $680,000.
Three of the properties combine into one contiguous piece in excess of 101 acres.
One of the parcels is a sliver of land adjacent to the west side of the highway running from next to McD to the rear of Orion Cold Storage and is/was probably provincial land.
The 3 larger parcels would be ideal for high rise residential development and the price reflects the problems of developing the marshy land.
One 12 acre lot zoned Industrial has access from Research Drive and is adjacent the 80 acre lot and residential housing on Lynn Drive.

[Djeffery]

Call me crazy but that doesn't look like a very stadium friendly piece of land. And what would anyone buy that sliver of land along the highway for?

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Call me crazy but that doesn't look like a very stadium friendly piece of land. And what would anyone buy that sliver of land along the highway for?

Don't have a clue; perhaps the province just wanted to get rid of it and insisted the land be included in the deal.
The abutters may decide to extend their property by 70 feet.
The 3 lots have development potential. Could be a good place to dump rock and fill from other development projects. The cost of the purchase is just pocket change to most developers.

[edpats]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Don't have a clue; perhaps the province just wanted to get rid of it and insisted the land be included in the deal.
The abutters may decide to extend their property by 70 feet.
The 3 lots have development potential. Could be a good place to dump rock and fill from other development projects. The cost of the purchase is just pocket change to most developers.

Hey Colin where did you find out about this land purchase? That slither of land along the highway is very significant if they are going to build a stadium there as that is where they could build a path from the stadium to the Ferry Terminal down the street. This very well could be where the stadium will be built!

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by edpats

Hey Colin where did you find out about this land purchase? That slither of land along the highway is very significant if they are going to build a stadium there as that is where they could build a path from the stadium to the Ferry Terminal down the street. This very well could be where the stadium will be built!

On PVSC - the assessment of all properties in Nova Scotia can be found on the site.
By narrowing a search to a particular place, date, range of date,range of values or value you can find the sale date and assessment of almost any property. You cannot find the sale date for our home because we have lived here of over 30 years.
Maybe the CFL needs a rich and murderous Saudi prince :
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...yyan-chairman/

[edpats]

Originally Posted by Colin May

On PVSC - the assessment of all properties in Nova Scotia can be found on the site.
By narrowing a search to a particular place, date, range of date,range of values or value you can find the sale date and assessment of almost any property. You cannot find the sale date for our home because we have lived here of over 30 years.
Maybe the CFL needs a rich and murderous Saudi prince :
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...yyan-chairman/

I see that now on the PVSC website. Wow this is Huge. I mean it must be SSE who bought that land. That is the site HRM Staff had told SSE back in the fall to choose but they were holding their guns on Shannon Park. Access to Ferry is right there. And right off the Highway 111 with its own exit already there. Also still close to Dartmouth Crossing that you can go there to shop for out of towners. Lets get this thing built!

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by edpats

I mean it must be SSE who bought that land. That is the site HRM Staff had told SSE back in the fall to choose but they were holding their guns on Shannon Park.

Given that this is Nova Scotia, the purchaser could be a Liberal party insider whose purpose is to quickly flip the land to the proponents for a large profit once the province or feds offer financial support. That is how things happen here.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by edpats

I mean it must be SSE who bought that land.

No, not directly anyways. It was purchased by the owner of Orion Cold Storage. Though that's not to say they don't have their eye in reselling it to SSE.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

No, not directly anyways. It was purchased by the owner of Orion Cold Storage. Though that's not to say they don't have their eye in reselling it to SSE.

But is the owner of Orion Cold Storage a "Liberal insider" as Keith alluded too.

These sorts of shenanigans know no borders. Here in Moncton, a daft decision was made to build the new Moncton High School way out by the very edge of Moncton city limits (previously an inner city school), and necessitating millions of dollars in road upgrades, sidewalks, water and sewer work. The owner of the property that the school was built on was a "Liberal insider"..........

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Well, sure, and all of that happens because of the CFL team because the stadium wouldn't exist without them. How many people did any of those events attract? I imagine every single one of them could have easily been handled at the university stadium with it's turf field and a few thousand seats.

Rugby Canada at the very least wouldn't have done that. Attendance for the Leinster match wasn't great but when we played the USA a couple years ago it was 13k - full lower bowl.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Given that this is Nova Scotia, the purchaser could be a Liberal party insider whose purpose is to quickly flip the land to the proponents for a large profit once the province or feds offer financial support. That is how things happen here.

My Dad mentioned years ago that he was under the impression that the last act of the Gerry Regan Liberal government was buying the land downtown that eventually held the New Metro Center. The owner of the land had been Mrs Regan.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jonny24

Rugby Canada at the very least wouldn't have done that. Attendance for the Leinster match wasn't great but when we played the USA a couple years ago it was 13k - full lower bowl.

That's awesome, and it's great that the stadium built because of the CFL was there for that use.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

But is the owner of Orion Cold Storage a "Liberal insider" as Keith alluded too.

These sorts of shenanigans know no borders. Here in Moncton, a daft decision was made to build the new Moncton High School way out by the very edge of Moncton city limits (previously an inner city school), and necessitating millions of dollars in road upgrades, sidewalks, water and sewer work. The owner of the property that the school was built on was a "Liberal insider"..........

Wasn't that the work of the Alward government? Not exactly something a Liberal insider would have control over.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Wasn't that the work of the Alward government? Not exactly something a Liberal insider would have control over.

I may have misspoke. I recall at the time there were rumours (of which I have no personal knowledge of the legitimacy of) that there were some shenanigans ongoing over the process of locating the new high school. In any event, it was a ghastly decision on the part of the government of the day (either PC or Liberal). Corruption runs deep in the backrooms of both traditional governing parties.