Hamilton FirstOntario Centre Renovations | ?m | 4s | OVG | BBB

[ericmacm]

I wonder if Andlauer will move on from the Bulldogs now that he owns the Ottawa Senators? Maybe he'll move the Senators farm team (currently playing in Belleville) to Hamilton - It wouldn't be the first time he moved a team from Belleville here lol. Although looking at the Belleville Senators attendance, it has grown over the last few years, it is still on the low end compared to other AHL attendance across the league. Andlauer is probably done with Hamilton at this point though.

The AHL may look to move a team with struggling attendance. Taking a look at AHL attendance here are the 10 teams with the lowest attendance across the league:
View attachment 601209

Also, I found an interesting thread on some random forum discussing the possibility of the Marlies moving to Hamilton once the Reno is complete:

https://forums.ilindoor.com/threads/marlies-moving-to-hamilton.329308/

I have always been under the impression that the AHL Senators are in Belleville as a strategic way to cement the western edge of the Ottawa Senators fan territory, hence why they ended up there instead of in the slightly larger arena in Kingston.

I feel like moving them away would flip a lot of the eastern cities along Lake Ontario to Leafs territory. Moving the AHL Senators to Hamilton would be very risky, especially since the Senators have had a hard enough time carving out a fanbase in the geographic middle of the two most iconic NHL teams.

 

[HamiltonPlanning]

I have always been under the impression that the AHL Senators are in Belleville as a strategic way to cement the western edge of the Ottawa Senators fan territory, hence why they ended up there instead of in the slightly larger arena in Kingston.

I feel like moving them away would flip a lot of the eastern cities along Lake Ontario to Leafs territory. Moving the AHL Senators to Hamilton would be very risky, especially since the Senators have had a hard enough time carving out a fanbase in the geographic middle of the two most iconic NHL teams.

Agreed, their proximity to Ottawa is key to them staying in Belleville.

The Marlies moving to Hamilton could make some sense. Takes them out of the congested sports market in Toronto while still being close enough. Plus there are tons of Leaf's fans in this general area that would support the team. If the Marlies stay in Toronto, I could see them playing second fiddle to the PWHL team also playing out of Coca Cola Coliseum.

I think it'd be a gamble for an American NHL team to move their AHL team to Hamilton and have to compete with a primarily Leafs/Habs market. I don't think that'd be worth the risk for OVG either. The Buffalo Sabers AHL team could work here, but from my understanding they do pretty well in Rochester and have been there for decades.

Either way, the arena is way to large for AHL. However, if any AHL team could average similar attendance to the Rock it could be successful.

 

[BCTed]

Man, this will be a huge punch in the gut to all the people complaining that OVG and HUPEG pushed out the little Bulldogs and whiny Andlauer.

I don't care tons about the Bulldogs, but they kind of were pushed out...

 

[Chris R.]

I don't care tons about the Bulldogs, but they kind of were pushed out...

And apparently rightfully so. Not to mention I'd rather that, than the Reno not happen.

 

[BCTed]

And apparently rightfully so. Not to mention I'd rather that, than the Reno not happen.

We're on the same page there. Though I don't know what Andlaeur did wrong.

That said, his plan for a 5000 or 6000 seat arena at Lime Ridge may have worked well for the Bulldogs, but would have stunk for the city.

A side note is that Ottawa is planning on building a 5500 seat arena for the OHL and the PWHL. If Hamilton were a bit bigger, something like that might eventually be possible here, I.e., both a large arena and smaller one.

 

[Chris R.]

We're on the same page there. Though I don't know what Andlaeur did wrong.

That said, his plan for a 5000 or 6000 seat arena at Lime Ridge may have worked well for the Bulldogs, but would have stunk for the city.

A side note is that Ottawa is planning on building a 5500 seat arena for the OHL and the PWHL. If Hamilton were a bit bigger, something like that might eventually be possible here, I.e., both a large arena and smaller one.

I mean the Toronto Rock were able to work. I think he was just trying to get money or a new venue on the taxpayer dime. I don't fully blame him, but I'm glad Hamilton didn't cave.

 

[BCTed]

Candlelight, roses, someone playing on a grand piano? A concert within a concert?

 

[Chris R.]

Concrete being poured inside today

 

[BCTed]

Interesting. I wonder what that is for.

 

[Yorken Bay]

We're on the same page there. Though I don't know what Andlaeur did wrong.

That said, his plan for a 5000 or 6000 seat arena at Lime Ridge may have worked well for the Bulldogs, but would have stunk for the city.

A side note is that Ottawa is planning on building a 5500 seat arena for the OHL and the PWHL. If Hamilton were a bit bigger, something like that might eventually be possible here, I.e., both a large arena and smaller one.

Even though it goes aganist the prevailing thinking, I wonder if the Copps reno is actually the secondary/smaller arena.

The Great Western Fourm in LA is the original arena there and was renovated to be music only once the then Staples Centre opened.

Maybe Copps is our version of the Fourm and OVG has longer term plans to build a brand new arena elsewhere, maybe at the SJA site or Paletta's Waterdown Road property. That would only be necessary if OVG had ambitions of eventually bringing a major league sports franchise here.

I also wonder of OVG has any designs on the West Harbour property now that the film district seems to have fallen through.

Apparently AEG wanted to build an amphitheater there along with the new ticat stadium had it been built there.

Maybe that along with a new convention centre for the property.

 

[Chris R.]

Even though it goes aganist the prevailing thinking, I wonder if the Copps reno is actually the secondary/smaller arena.

The Great Western Fourm in LA is the original arena there and was renovated to be music only once the then Staples Centre opened.

Maybe Copps is our version of the Fourm and OVG has longer term plans to build a brand new arena elsewhere, maybe at the SJA site or Paletta's Waterdown Road property. That would only be necessary if OVG had ambitions of eventually bringing a major league sports franchise here.

I also wonder of OVG has any designs on the West Harbour property now that the film district seems to have fallen through.

Apparently AEG wanted to build an amphitheater there along with the new ticat stadium had it been built there.

Maybe that along with a new convention centre for the property.

Hamilton or the surrounding area will never get a major league sports team. North America doesn't function the way the rest of the world does in this respect. Hamilton/Burlington is too close to Toronto and Buffalo.

Great video about this problem:

 

[Yorken Bay]

Hamilton or the surrounding area will never get a major league sports team. North America doesn't function the way the rest of the world does in this respect. Hamilton/Burlington is too close to Toronto and Buffalo.

Great video about this problem:

Never is a strong word. OVG has stated they are interested in investing in the community long term and developing more then just an arena.

It's no where near likely in the immediate term barring some unforseen developments such as the people of Southern Ontario finally getting smart and boycotting the NHL enmasse and denying the NHL the revenue sharing dollars it needs to prop up many American markets.

Or maybe Larry Tannenbaum, who will no longer be part owner of MLSE c ome 2026 decides he wants a team of his own and partners with his old CEO Leiweke to make it happen.

Or maybe the speculated 3 on 3 hockey league with it's stated payroll of $30M is enough to attract NHL players making $750, 000 - $3M for a pay raise. It could pose a WHA like threat to the NHL that forces them to plant a team here to counter it.

At the very least, I hope our new arena maybe gets the Sabres to bring a handful of regular season games here on a long term basis like the Bill's/ Toronto series.