Proposed Markham arena would rival ACC

[M II A II R II K]

Proposed Markham arena would rival ACC


November 22, 2011

By Mike Zeisberger

Read More: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/11/22/proposed-markham-arena-would-rival-acc


A new 20,000 seat arena for the GTA? If Graeme Roustan has his way, such a sparkling new building could be ready for business in Markham by 2014. Roustan, Chairman and CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment, acknowledged on Tuesday that “we’re looking forward to bringing our official proposal to the town of Markham in the near future.†Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti reportedly was going to update Markham council during a private session of a meeting on Tuesday night. Town councillors are aware of the project but have been publicly muzzled after signing non-disclosure agreements.

The arena, which is estimated to cost $300 million, would be part of a massive project spearheaded by Roustan and Toronto-area land developer Rudy Bratty, who has an estimated net worth of $940 million. The proposed real estate venture calls for the construction of a huge entertainment and sports complex that would include the arena. The arena would be situated west of Kennedy Rd., north of Highway 407 and west of the Unionville GO Station on land owned by Bratty.

Roustan, who also is the chairman of the Bauer hockey equipment company, insisted that the proposed arena is not predicated on wooing a second National Hockey League team to the Golden Horseshoe, claiming the building’s purpose is to supply a venue for concerts and other entertainment shows. Whether the NHL one day decides to look at putting a second team in southern Ontario will have no bearing on whether the arena gets built, Roustan said.

“This market has clearly demostrated the need for a second world class (entertainment) facility,†Roustan told the Toronto Sun on Tuesday night. “This market certainly can support it.†In other words, the GTA Centre, the name of the proposed arena, would provide a viable option to concert goers to the Air Canada Centre. Indeed, it is believed that show promoter Live Event already has shown interest.

.....

 

[TOareaFan]

Proposed Markham arena would rival ACC


November 22, 2011

By Mike Zeisberger

Read More: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/11/22/proposed-markham-arena-would-rival-acc


A new 20,000 seat arena for the GTA? If Graeme Roustan has his way, such a sparkling new building could be ready for business in Markham by 2014. Roustan, Chairman and CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment, acknowledged on Tuesday that “we’re looking forward to bringing our official proposal to the town of Markham in the near future.” Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti reportedly was going to update Markham council during a private session of a meeting on Tuesday night. Town councillors are aware of the project but have been publicly muzzled after signing non-disclosure agreements.

The arena, which is estimated to cost $300 million, would be part of a massive project spearheaded by Roustan and Toronto-area land developer Rudy Bratty, who has an estimated net worth of $940 million. The proposed real estate venture calls for the construction of a huge entertainment and sports complex that would include the arena. The arena would be situated west of Kennedy Rd., north of Highway 407 and west of the Unionville GO Station on land owned by Bratty.

Roustan, who also is the chairman of the Bauer hockey equipment company, insisted that the proposed arena is not predicated on wooing a second National Hockey League team to the Golden Horseshoe, claiming the building’s purpose is to supply a venue for concerts and other entertainment shows. Whether the NHL one day decides to look at putting a second team in southern Ontario will have no bearing on whether the arena gets built, Roustan said.

“This market has clearly demostrated the need for a second world class (entertainment) facility,” Roustan told the Toronto Sun on Tuesday night. “This market certainly can support it.” In other words, the GTA Centre, the name of the proposed arena, would provide a viable option to concert goers to the Air Canada Centre. Indeed, it is believed that show promoter Live Event already has shown interest.

.....

Kinda surprising that it took until ten to 8 tonight for this thread to start.

 

[EnviroTO]

Right next to medium low density residential? Those neighbours will be pleased.

 

[ItsTehBean]

Stupid planning at its finest. Wanting to see Glendale, AZ saga happening here in GTA? The loons from Glendale City Council tried to save the Coyotes and the failing Westgate entertainment complex by making closed-door deals with Reinsdorf, Hulsizer, et al. and still never worked. Couldn't imagine the city decide to shell out taxpayer's money to feed this thing.

 

[junctionist]

If it's not on a subway line, you can't have a subway series. That's a big disappointment and as an NHL venue, this arena may encourage that sort of negative and unconstructive Toronto versus suburb divide that discourages metropolitan cohesion. It needs to be on a subway line, even if it's in Vaughan. Even if we're just talking about concerts, what an inconvenient location that is so far out in the suburbs. Dare I say it: Unbuilt Toronto 3?

 

[Jonny5]

Ugh. I can only imagine how awful this thing would look if built. It's guaranteed that every part of that rendering will be cut back to something way cheaper looking, possibly even bare concrete. It will be another ROM "Crystal".

 

[kkgg7]

To be fair, the ACC is not a difficult project to "rival" to start with.

 

[Markster]

If it's not on a subway line, you can't have a subway series. That's a big disappointment and as an NHL venue, this arena may encourage that sort of negative and unconstructive Toronto versus suburb divide that discourages metropolitan cohesion. It needs to be on a subway line, even if it's in Vaughan. Even if we're just talking about concerts, what an inconvenient location that is so far out in the suburbs. Dare I say it: Unbuilt Toronto 3?

Judging by the description of the location "The arena would be situated west of Kennedy Rd., north of Highway 407 and west of the Unionville GO Station", it will almost certainly be within walking distance of the Unionville GO Station. Once all-day GO service is launched on the Stouffville Line, it will actually be incredibly convenient transit access.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

I don't know about "incredibly convenient" transit access. It's not as remote as it seems but it's not that central either. Especially since it won't be a suburban arena (like Glendale) surrounded by acres of parking.

I think the whole thing is weird. The guy thinks he can make a profit without a regular tenant, only hosting less than 100 events a year AND that he can attract those events away from the ACC etc...? Very unlikely on all counts. If he had a hockey team it would still barely make sense. As is stands, if the goal is to host concerts, why not build a proper concert hall, probably at half the price? (The obvious answer: We still WANT to be able to host hockey and other arena sports.) If the burbs needed an arena, wouldn't it have been built for the Pan Am games?

Plus it seems weird Markham would want a huge arena, empty 250 days a year, in the middle of its super-progressive, smart growthy, LEED-standardy community. i guess they think they have a business case but it seems rather absurd at face value...

 

[M II A II R II K]

It would have convenient car access with the 407 and 404 interchange nearby as well.

 

[jn_12]

I don't know about "incredibly convenient" transit access. It's not as remote as it seems but it's not that central either. Especially since it won't be a suburban arena (like Glendale) surrounded by acres of parking.

I think the whole thing is weird. The guy thinks he can make a profit without a regular tenant, only hosting less than 100 events a year AND that he can attract those events away from the ACC etc...? Very unlikely on all counts. If he had a hockey team it would still barely make sense. As is stands, if the goal is to host concerts, why not build a proper concert hall, probably at half the price? (The obvious answer: We still WANT to be able to host hockey and other arena sports.) If the burbs needed an arena, wouldn't it have been built for the Pan Am games?

Plus it seems weird Markham would want a huge arena, empty 250 days a year, in the middle of its super-progressive, smart growthy, LEED-standardy community. i guess they think they have a business case but it seems rather absurd at face value...

In terms of attracting events away from the ACC, the ACC is currently maxed out, especially during the hockey/basketball season (this season being the exception obviously due to the lockout). How many events can they attract that are being turned away from the ACC due to a lack of availability is a good question, but I would imagine the number is considerable enough to make a business case. Given that Roustan has built arenas elsewhere, he has a pretty solid grasp of the economic realities of the situation, and if he say that the break-even point is well below 100 events (last night on Prime Time Sports I believe he said 70-75 was break-even), then I think there's reason to believe he's right. Furthermore, from what it sounds like, they've gone to the various concert promoters and incorporated their needs into the arena's plan (as opposed to the arena being a hockey-centric facility that concert's have to work around), which I'm sure bodes well for them. Furthermore, the shape of the arena, which would permit it to have a hockey team isn't solely for that purpose. He stated he wanted the flexibility to be able to host various types of events along with non-NHL events like the World Jr's and the World Championships.

I'm not too sure why you think if he had a hockey team "it would still barely make sense". If he has a hockey team in there, it's a license to print money.

 

[canmark]

I would worry about the traffic problems a 20,000 seat venue would bring. Hwy 7 during rush hour (or Saturday afternoon) is a nightmare. Warden and Kennedy are busy. The downtown Markham development has got office and residential, and to plop down the equivalent of the ACC without the equivalent public transit? The Stouffville GO train and VIVA bus system are in no way equivalent to the GO/TTC options out of Union Stn; besides which there is no GO train service and virtually no bus service late at night when most events would let out. How would someone from Toronto (much lesss Mississagua) get home from Markham at 11 pm without a car? You can't even find a taxi to take. Meaning: everybody will be driving and you'll need an acre of parking and some kind of traffic control system. Has anyone seen people race from their cars after exiting a GO train because they know there will be a traffic jam exiting the parking lot? How about 20,000 people in their cars exiting a Markham arena at once?

As a Markham resident, I'm not saying I don't want the arena at all (although I would prefer Richmond Hill or Vaughan). But if it's going to happen there needs to be much planning on how the traffic is going to move in and out. 'Cause, frankly, driving in Markham is worse than driving in downtown Toronto.

 

[nfitz]

How would someone from Toronto (much lesss Mississagua) get home from Markham at 11 pm without a car?

Looking at available land, they'd simply walk a short distance to the Unionville GO Station and jump the frequent all-day GO service that will be running by the time it opens.

Even today at 11 pm at night, the GO Transit travel time from that location to Union Station is only 25 minutes (the bus from Stouffville GO departing at 22:45 arrives at Union GO at 11:10 pm). There's also 407 GO Buses departing that late at night already from the same location.

 

[Solid Snake]

Downsview Park would have made more sense...

 

[nfitz]

Downsview Park would have made more sense...

I think it would too ... but I'd be surprised if the Town of Markham would put it there. Given that it's in Markham, the location doesn't seem too bad. I could think of a LOT worse places in Markham. Heck, the transit options already look better than the Senator's arena in Kanata!