http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Hamil ... story.html
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and City of Hamilton have been given one final chance to agree on a site for a new stadium.
The two sides have battled publicly for months over where the new facility -- to be used as a soccer venue during the 2015 Pan Am Games -- should be located. Tuesday, the Pan Am Games organizing committee, which must approve the location, said an agreement is needed within two weeks.
Hamilton city council held a special meeting Tuesday and voted 13-2 to look at a new possible compromise location in the city's west end.
Big turnaround by Hamilton council. These people look like idiots IMO. They tried to steam roll Bob Young, but found that the Pan Am committee valued Young's position much more than they did.
"We are acutely aware that this new direction may be (the) last opportunity to kick-start a stadium in Hamilton," Pan Am Games Organizing Committee chief executive officer Ian Troop said in a statement. "Our venue development work for the stadium is hard up against an immovable deadline for test events in 2014. It is critical to have the City of Hamilton and the Tiger-Cats committing to a co-operative partnership with a concrete plan presented to city council on Sept. 14."
September 14.
Just three weeks ago, Hamilton's city council approved a downtown West Harbour site as the location for the 15,000-seat stadium, even though Ticats owner Bob Young vowed his club would never play there. It was later determined that without the Ticats on board as the facility's long-term tenant, the plan did not make financial sense.
The Pan Am Games organizing committee told the city that without the football club involved, any stadium at the West Harbour spot would need to be much smaller than originally planned -- likely around 5,000 seats.
Ha ha. Without the TiCats, Pan Am is throwing cold water on Hamilton council's preference. Tide swings to Bob Young's side.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said it will not be easy to come to an agreement with the Ticats, even with the West Harbour location now off the table.
"I'm not confident at all," said Eisenberger. "I don't think we should suffer from any illusions. There are some challenges (with the possible compromise location) and there's going to have to be an awful lot of work done . . . nobody should jump to the conclusion that this is a slam drunk."
This guy to me seems like an idiot. Disrespecting Bob Young. Over-estimating his own power. Stubborn. With 10 possible sites considered, all but 1 (West Harbour, not financially feasible) agreeable to Bob Young, the Mayor stubbornly goes with that 1 and brings council with him, jeopardizing the stadium and all the funding that goes with it.
Young pulls out prior to council's pre-ordained vote. Hamilton twists slowly in the wind. Pan Am gives reality check to Hamilton, which votes to reconsider. Pathetic city council. And they could screw it up once again.
Young wrote a letter to Eisenberger on Monday expressing optimism about the new location because it is in a commercial area with highway exposure and easy access for fans. The city also sees positive aspects to the site because it allows for brownfield regeneration -- or the redevelopment of a derelict urban site -- and can be linked to public transportation.
Part of the land is currently owned by McMaster University and would need to be acquired by the city, and Eisenberger suggested more funding from higher levels of government will be required to ensure the business plan works.
Neither the city nor Young has done much research into the compromise site.
Council also gave the green light to city staff to examine other sites that may also be agreeable to the Ticats.
Examination of other sites swings the tide back Young's way.
I'm with Bob Young on this dispute.
(That's Canadian money there!)
