I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a sports nerd. Saying fan is a little bit of a misnomer; I don't actually care about the stats and the standings as much as most people do. What I love is the sports experience. The stadium, the announcer, the concessions, souvenirs, crowd chants, and gameday activities. I'm probably one of the few people on the planet that actually looks for the sponsors, and enjoys the creative promotions.
One of the biggest parts of sports is the stadiums. I've been fortunate enough to travel to nearly 40 different arenas and stadiums, between baseball, basketball, football and hockey. Which is one of the reasons I'm closely following what can only be described as a debacle in Hamilton, over the new Pan-Am stadium, and the future of the Hamilton Tiger Cats.
First thing first: when Toronto won the right to host the 2015 Pan Am Games, it just seemed a little fishy that Hamilton would be awarded the track and field stadium. Not disbelief by any means, a completely plausible plan, however to build the crown jewel of most multi-sport competitions outside of the host city is virtually unheard of. The main stadium is also often used for the opening and closing ceremonies, why would Toronto "give away" this stadium and this legacy to a different city?
The reason: the Hamilton Tiger-Cats also needed a new stadium. You might as well kill two birds with one stone and build some nice, shiny new stadium that supports their needs as well. But again, nearly from the beginning, was fishy situation #2. In order for a stadium to be viable for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, they need to actually rip out the track and expand the stadium for football, after the track and field events are complete. Why should Canadian/Ontario taxpayers pay for a track and field stadium (which I would normally 300% agree with), when the physical playing surface is ripped out and can no longer provide a legacy for the community? As much of a fan of professional sport I am, the fitness, health and sustainability of our country will be based on an active population, with expanded grassroots participation.
Then the fighting begins. Hamilton city council supports a West Harbour stadium site. Something downtown, nearly 2 dozen properties have been expropriated so far, I believe, and what could be the cornerstone of revitalization on the water that Hamilton so badly needs. The Ti-Cats, led by Bob Young, have dug in their heels and refused to accept something in the city core. They want a suburban stadium, near major highways to draw a "regional population", and ample parking. Not to mention high visibility which will provide greater revenues with stadium naming rights. This is a classic stadium dilemma, and it should come as no shock that the city wants to revitalize the core, while business interests want to take to the suburbs.
Months of fighting goes by, and, surprise surprise, the Pan Am Games committee pulls the track and field portion of the stadium, moves it back to Toronto, and gives Hamilton soccer instead. The proposal still works (minus the international visibility for Hamilton), but the initial stadium can now be build to football specifications initially, instead of upgraded after the Games are over. Yet the two sides are farther apart than ever.
The population is split; it's nearly 50/50 for location support, and also nearly 50/50 in the "who's to blame" game. Then today, with another deadline on the stadium looming, the TiCats play their trump card, ace in the hole. They say they will refuse to play in a West Harbour stadium, play through their lease at Ivor Wynne Stadium (expires in 2011), and then find another city to move into if they do not get the East Mountain stadium location. (Possibly Quebec City, maybe Burlington. I personally also think Halifax and Moncton are long overdue for a CFL team).
So we're at the ultimatum now. The TiCats will accept nothing less than suburbia or else the team will move, the city and most levels of government are favouring the downtown option.
Rob says: Try option 3. Spend a year and a few million dollars, and renovate Ivor Wynne properly. It's already built for soccer and football specifications, and would be significantly cheaper than building a new stadium. There's a practice field next door that could be eliminated, the field re-oriented for extra space, but the character and history maintained. It's the most tradition-rich stadium in professional football today, and it would be a shame to see it go. And from my lowly basement perspective, without the need to install a running track, there's no reason why Ivor Wynne shouldn't be back in consideraton as both a Pan-Am soccer stadium, and a long-term solution to keep my favourite football team on their hallowed ground.
Failing that, the Tiger-Cats need to simply capitulate in this situation. Having travelled to the number of stadiums that I have, my favourite ones, bar none, are the ones located in the city centres. Close to bars and restaurants, out of town transit options, pre-game shopping and post-game revelry. Something that provides a magnet and a landmark for the downtown (especially from the water, in cities with a waterfront). The parking issue solves itself when people ride buses in from suburban shopping malls (as they do now), or Go-Train in from the farther destinations, in addition to the parking spaces available after-hours in the downtown areas. Especially for a city like Hamilton, with the reputation of the downtown and the waterfront in general, a downtown site is a no-brainer.
The power play of the Tiger Cats shouldn't work. I love the team, but they are wrong in this situation. If they claim they will lose money out of the gate, I'm sure there are a few options that will allow for extra revenue streams which can be negotiated. The threat to move the team may not be an idle one (Q.C., Ottawa, Halifax and Moncton are all viable football markets), and the Hamilton fans do deserve better. Through good years and bad (and lately, it's been much more of the latter), Hamilton fans have been among the most loyal, die-hard fans in the league. The team provides the city with its charm, its history, and its eternal optimism.
But in the end, if the Tiger-Cats were to make good on their threat, Hamilton is only losing a tenant that takes the stadium 9-10 days per year. Football is a short season, it's not a 80-game traffic cycle like the Blue Jays pull in. 80+ games that a hockey/basketball arena share. It costs a lot, rejuvenates an area, but doesn't actually draw multiple nights per year (add a MLS franchise and a few other annual events though, it becomes a different story). The city needs the stadium downtown more than the city needs the Tiger-Cats. If the city and team part ways over this dispute, it pains me to say this, but good riddance to the team. Hamilton may or may not get one back in the future, but they only have one shot at a brand new stadium for the Pan-Am games. Keep the stadium downtown, hold firm, and make Bob Young and the Ti-Cats make their own move.
I'll call the bluff. I don't think the black and gold will actually skip town. And it's time for Hamilton Council to stick to their guns instead of being intimidated. Keep the stadium plans for West Harbour and build something that can be the pride of Hamilton.
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