Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

[jn_12]

nfitz - They might be, but I think when it actually gets down to the final hour (the real one, not that multiple ones we've had come and go already) an agreement will be hatched between the ity and the Ticats. For Hamilton to not only lose out on a stadium but also put in jeopardy the Ti-cats (despite the fact many of us don't they'll actually leave) would be disasterous.

Actually the plan is for Hamilton to get a team in the A-League (or whatever the league below MLS is now called).

Considering that league is in a shambles, I wouldn't put a lot of money on it. They disbanded the old league and now there's a temporary league called the USSF Division 2 Professional League and the two strongest franchises will be leaving for MLS soon. Unless the MLS is going to step up and either incorporate it under its banner (either by creating a tiered system which I don't think any owners would go for or allowing these teams to become reserve clubs for MLS teams), I don't know if there's a long-term future without a major sponsor keeping things afloat. I know Bob Young expressed some inerest in a USL team, but I have to think that the news that Vancouver and Montreal are leaving, combined with the issues the league is facing have cooled those interests off a bit.

 

[AnnetteMeetsJane]

Rumors Track and Field Stadium @ YorkU - can't vouch for accuracy but I trust the source

- Planned location = kitty corner to the new Steeles subway station. This station is prioritised for completion by the games (obviously).
- Current track and field venue is to be retained, mostly due to its popularity with the Rugby Canada crowd.
- There is a serious question about the use of the new stadium, after the games. The current understanding is that the Argos have no interest in moving to the proposed stadium for anything other than training.

-AmJ

 

[christof53]

The official logo was revealed today.

 

[jn_12]

That's actually really good in my opinion. I love how the TO looks like someone kicking a soccer ball in one and riding a wheelchair in the other.

 

[Torontovibe]

They said on the news today, that the Pan-Am's medal ceremonies will be held at Maple Leaf Square. What happened to Nathan Philips Square? I prefer NPS.

 

[MetroMan]

They said on the news today, that the Pan-Am's medal ceremonies will be held at Maple Leaf Square. What happened to Nathan Philips Square? I prefer NPS.

That really really sucks. Maple Leaf Square is great and all, with its massive screen and CN Tower in the background, but it's not a civic space. It's a corporate square -- as far as I know, it's also private property.

This doesn't bode well for the completion of NPS before 2015. If Ford were to become Mayor, the Nathan Philips Square revitalization would almost certainly be cancelled. Having NPS as the PanAm 2015 festival centre would have at least given council a reason to not skimp on the square.

 

[nfitz]

That really really sucks. Maple Leaf Square is great and all, with its massive screen and CN Tower in the background, but it's not a civic space. It's a corporate square -- as far as I know, it's also private property.

The open area at the end of Bremner? It, and the access way to the south to Lakeshore are city property. The buildings aren't.

 

[Jonny5]

That really really sucks. Maple Leaf Square is great and all, with its massive screen and CN Tower in the background, but it's not a civic space. It's a corporate square -- as far as I know, it's also private property.

This doesn't bode well for the completion of NPS before 2015. If Ford were to become Mayor, the Nathan Philips Square revitalization would almost certainly be cancelled. Having NPS as the PanAm 2015 festival centre would have at least given council a reason to not skimp on the square.

You know Ford strikes me as the type who wouldn't cancel the NPS renovation. In fact I bet he will find an excuse to proceed with the Mayor's office renovations too. If there's one thing budget hawk's love, it's slashing spending on everyone but themselves.

 

[MetroMan]

He constantly speaks out against it in debates with his favourite line: "wasteful spending".

The only hope NPS has in Ford's City Hall is that it's already been approved for multiple years. Cancelling it would require an explicit vote to cancel it, not one to pass it. If council remains Left and Centre, it'll get done.

 

[DC83]

Ti-Cat Scham!

Not sure if anyone's familiar with what's going on in Hamilton's 'stadium' debacle... here's an update:

Council last week approved to look further into the Longwoog CN Railyards: GoogleMap
(note the lack of any access or parking; the two main 'concerns' Bob Young had with the West Harbour)

Next Tue, Oct 12th, Council votes to go into partnership with the Tiger-Cats... however the deal offered by the Cats is rotten beyond belief.

Here's what they want:
- They want the City, Province & Feds to pay 100% of the (estimated) $160 Million price-tag for a budget, 'utilitarian' soccer stadium. The Cats will not invest a single dollar into the capital cost of the stadium
- In return for the free stadium the Cats will do the City a favour by managing said stadium and surrounding precint (dubbed Bobby's World) and all the revenues (incl. parking) that come with it
- The Cats, however, will still charge a stippend to the City for managing the venue

How could anyone agree to this deal?

OH, I missed one point! The Cats want the estimated $5-7 Million obtained for naming rights to be used for their operations of the stadium, not towards any construction costs.

 

[Towered]

That's just awful. Do people in Hamilton really have nothing else to do as far as entertainment goes? Not sure why I'm surprised really, since it is a very blue collar place.

 

[TOareaFan]

Not sure if anyone's familiar with what's going on in Hamilton's 'stadium' debacle... here's an update:

Council last week approved to look further into the Longwoog CN Railyards: GoogleMap
(note the lack of any access or parking; the two main 'concerns' Bob Young had with the West Harbour)



Next Tue, Oct 12th, Council votes to go into partnership with the Tiger-Cats... however the deal offered by the Cats is rotten beyond belief.

Here's what they want:
- They want the City, Province & Feds to pay 100% of the (estimated) $160 Million price-tag for a budget, 'utilitarian' soccer stadium. The Cats will not invest a single dollar into the capital cost of the stadium
- In return for the free stadium the Cats will do the City a favour by managing said stadium and surrounding precint (dubbed Bobby's World) and all the revenues (incl. parking) that come with it
- The Cats, however, will still charge a stippend to the City for managing the venue

How could anyone agree to this deal?

OH, I missed one point! The Cats want the estimated $5-7 Million obtained for naming rights to be used for their operations of the stadium, not towards any construction costs.

Do you have a link to that "deal" struture or the source of that information?

 

[Rowe]

Does this team really have the power to do this?

Its not in the site the city wants and it isn't in the site the Cats want. Yet they have no issue demanding all this of the government and city?

Hamilton needs to grow a pair.

 

[Jonny5]

The proposed deal is not nearly as bad as outlined above:

Ticats kick in $10 million to build stadium

The Tiger-Cats have agreed to contribute up to $10 million to construct a stadium on the CP lands and Pan Am organizers have given the city an “absolute and final deadline” of Feb. 1, 2011, to finalize all siting and funding agreements.

According to a draft letter of understanding with the city, the $8 million to $10 million commitment from the Ticats is in addition to buying and developing 10 to 15 acres of the rail yard and contributing $200,000 annually, through a ticket surcharge, to a capital reserve fund to be held by the city.

The Ticats have also agreed to operate the proposed stadium for the city, using naming rights, event parking and advertising revenue to offset costs.

An inside source estimates it could cost Ticat owner Bob Young between $4 million and $5 million to purchase and clean up his parcel of the 52-acre site at Aberdeen and Longwood.

City manager Chris Murray says the Ticat capital contribution is a “significant” step in closing an estimated $41 million funding gap for a 25,000-seat facility. He hopes the commitment will now free up more support from senior governments.

“The $10 million is an attention-grabbing number,” said Murray, the city’s lead negotiator.

“I think the Ticats have responded to calls from the federal government and province and the community and that’s good.”

If the Feb. 1 deadline from Hostco is not met, the organizers of the 2015 Pan Am Games say they will move the planned soccer program to a smaller venue in another municipality.

“It’s more of a brick wall than a deadline,” Murray said in an interview.

Besides lobbying for more provincial and federal money, Murray says the city has a couple of other big hurdles to clear.

The first involves intensive talks with Hostco and the province regarding the design of the stadium and clarifying any and all matters of concerns about the site.

The second is negotiating the sale of the CP land and the cost of relocating the shunting yard and two existing warehousing and distributing businesses.

“That’s what will set the ceiling on the whole cost of this undertaking,” said Murray. “That’s going to be the number that obviously we’re going to be concerned about, the Ticats are going to be concerned about, as will the other levels of government.”

Murray will be presenting these and other negotiation outcomes in a report to councillors on Tuesday.

Here are some highlights:

The province remains willing to provide additional funding; the feds are noncommittal, noting that all three levels of government have already contributed $125 million. The city’s capital contribution is $45 million.

It will cost an estimated $6 million for traffic infrastructure improvements to service the stadium.

The estimated cost for remediating the CP yard is $3.3 million.

It will cost up to $300,000 to extend hydro service to the site.

Since May 1, about 694 days of staff time have been devoted to the issue.

The Ticats will sign a 20-year lease agreement.

The city will pay the Tiger-Cats $300,000 annually for running the stadium.

The Ticats have formally begun efforts to bring in a North American Soccer League franchise.

There will be a minimum 2,200 on-site parking spaces.

•The Ticats’ 10- to 15-acre parcel will be used for sports entertainment, possibly including a hotel conference centre. It’s expected to yearly generate $500,000 in taxes.

The team’s $10 million capital contribution will be spread over 10 years.

Ticat president Scott Mitchell estimates that the annual operating costs will be $2.8 million to $3.5 million, depending on whether a bubble is put over the facility in the winter.

Mitchell says if the proposal ultimately comes together, the site offers “exciting” possibilities.

“In terms of accomplishing great things for the city and giving us a great opportunity to be successful, I don’t think we can ask much more than that.”

But he recognizes there is still a long way to go, particularly in negotiating an agreement with CP.

Nobody is saying it yet, but the stark fact is the CP price tag, especially the relocation costs, could very well make or break the building of the stadium and guaranteeing whether the Ticats stay in Hamilton.

 

[DC83]

Do you have a link to that "deal" struture or the source of that information?

Sorry for the late reply, you can find all the information you need here: http://raisethehammer.org/blogs/section/sports
...and more!

Just a couple other rediculous points..
The TiCats will pay $10 Million over 10 years on stadium capital costs -- Current funding gap is $40 Million (not including land remediation or CP relocation).
The TiCats will charge the City $300,000/year to use the stadium (that we built)
TiCats will bring in a NASL team (NAS-What?) and potentially dome the stadium during the winter for a soccer academy
65 full-time jobs will be lost due to the closure of two operating warehouses on these lands
West Harbour lands are already purchased, waiting for remediaton.

Note: West Harbour now has more parking than the proposed CP Lands (which is 2,200 spots), West Harbour had 4,700 w/in 1km.
West Harbour also has more road access to it than the CP lands (one road in/out, proposed new on/off ramp from 403.
Longwood/Aberdeen will only raise $5 Million over 10 years in naming rights.

So if WH has more accessibility & parking than the current CP lands, what was Bob Young's problem?
West Harbour has hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, etc that weren't owned/operated by Bob Young.
This is, and always has been, about Mr Young's Greed! And because of that Greed, we are losing the PanAms.

Can we PLEASE just have the Road Cycling componant!? We've already hosted a World Championship!!