Toronto BMO Field Renovations | ?m | ?s | MLSE | Gensler

More details - including reports that the Argo's are close to being sold to MLSE

At the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Tuesday — the same day TSN published a report that talks between MLSE and current Argos owner David Braley were “heating up” — Leiweke said he’d be willing to share the refurbished field with a CFL team.

“We’re going to spend $120 million to build an English Premier (League)-style stadium, with a roof that covers the seats,” Leiweke said.

“Yeah, there are rumours there may be a CFL solution, but we’ll do it in a way you’ll never know there’s a CFL team when you’re there for a soccer game, and you’ll never know there’s a soccer team when you’re there for a CFL game. It’s engineering and we can fix that.”

Later, he said giving football fans a chance to watch games in the new stadium would help not only the CFL, but an eventual push for an NFL team.

“I think giving fans an opportunity to go see an Argos game outdoors in a stadium with a roof that covers the seat, in a 30,000-seat environment, with real grass, is awesome, and it will help turn that franchise around.

“So we’re going to start with that. There’s no way the NFL comes here without the CFL being unbelievably successful first.”

MLSE communications staff declined to comment further Tuesday night, as did the CFL.
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Anyone else surprised that we have a $120million proposed expansion to a city owned stadium....one which the proponent publicly states they are looking for the city to participate upfront on the funding of (albeit with a plan to repay them)....and that the proponent says will be open/ready by 2015 (so work would have to begin in 2014, I think) and in the backdrop the city is finalizing/approving its 2014 budget and there is no mention at all of the potential expenditure on the stadium?

Is that normal practice?
 
Later, he said giving football fans a chance to watch games in the new stadium would help not only the CFL, but an eventual push for an NFL team.

“I think giving fans an opportunity to go see an Argos game outdoors in a stadium with a roof that covers the seat, in a 30,000-seat environment, with real grass, is awesome, and it will help turn that franchise around."
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If MLSE is successful in turning the Argonauts around at BMO Field and the team cultivates a whole new generation of fans, I doubt they'd be much appetite at that point to pursue an NFL team by either MLSE or football fans. Too much would be invested in the Argonauts. One only need look at Saskatchewan to realize what's possible. I see this as being something that will permanently end the idea of bringing an NFL team to Toronto regardless of what they're saying officially.

Why pour so much money, time, and effort into something, only to destroy it in the end?
 
isaidso said:
If MLSE is successful in turning the Argonauts around at BMO Field and the team cultivates a whole new generation of fans, I doubt they'd be much appetite at that point to pursue an NFL team by either MLSE or football fans. Too much would be invested in the Argonauts. One only need look at Saskatchewan to realize what's possible. I see this as being something that will permanently end the idea of bringing an NFL team to Toronto regardless of what they're saying officially.

Why pour so much money, time, and effort into something, only to destroy it in the end?
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Not sure about the NFL but I think the theory on turning around the Argos is that it would not need so much money poured into it. They can probably buy the thing for near zero (in MLSE terms), if they can do that and get the thing drawing 30k just by moving it to an expanded BMO Field they will have created substantial value with little effort.

Yes you could say "well they would have invested in the stadium too"...but I think that, or some version of that, was always going to happen anyway and only some portion of that investment would be attributable to the Argos.
 
TOareaFan said:
Not sure about the NFL but I think the theory on turning around the Argos is that it would not need so much money poured into it. They can probably buy the thing for near zero (in MLSE terms), if they can do that and get the thing drawing 30k just by moving it to an expanded BMO Field they will have created substantial value with little effort.

Yes you could say "well they would have invested in the stadium too"...but I think that, or some version of that, was always going to happen anyway and only some portion of that investment would be attributable to the Argos.
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MLSE are smart business people and recognize a diamond in the rough when they see one. The Argonauts haven't had a proper football stadium since the 1950s and fans have forgotten what going to a football game is supposed to feel like. BMO will re-introduce that authentic football experience to Torontonians. The Argonauts really have no where to go but up and MLSE will get them for next to nothing. This team is a license to print money in the right hands, and MLSE are the right ownership group.
 
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Except the Argos have won the Grey Cup twice in the last 10 years
 
I remember the old CNE grandstand and, especially, the rolling stage they used for grandstand shows.

oldaerial.jpg
 
I think people, these days, don't realize how popular the Argos really were back then. I am 51 (for a few more days) and in my high school years, the Argos were actually a tougher ticket to get than the Leafs.

Amusing anectdote alert: in grade 12 i started going out with a girl in our high school.....she was a cheerleader, cute, blonde with (how do I say this) all of the attributes that late teen guys are attracted too....I really was punching above my weight ;).....I still remember the general reaction of my friends...."you lucky dog....her dad has Argo season tickets!".
 
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In an article today in the Globe and Mail they were saying that a million dollar operating surplus or deficit is a make or break amount of money in the CFL. In other words, peanuts. I think everyone wants the Argos to be preserved and fully funded but it hardly matters if they are successful or not from a business perspective if they are part of a larger deal or organizational shuffle.
 
I know the football played by the CFL and NFL are different, but is there any way that the Argos could switch from the CFL to the NFL? Or is that just completely outside of the realm of possibility?
 
That will never happen
 
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