Oskee Wee Wee ! Oskee Wa Wa ! Holy Makinaw ! Au Revoir ?

[gcostanza]

Ticats pull out of stadium debate

Letter from Bob Young (Ti-Cats owner)

Mayor Fred Eisenberger August 9, 2010
City of Hamilton
and Members of Council

Fred, It saddens me to advise you that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club is withdrawing
from any further discussions and negotiations pertaining to the siting of the Pan Am
Stadium in Hamilton.

It is painfully apparent, despite the best efforts of our facilitator, Michael Fenn, the
plethora of information from stadium experts, and our own financial submissions, that
you remain fixated on the West Harbour Stadium and without a strong political champion
in Hamilton, it is impossible to continue our efforts with respect to the East Mountain
proposal.

The need to replace Ivor Wynne Stadium played an integral part in the Pan-Am bid
process, and undoubtedly we would not be debating this great opportunity were it not for
the history and presence of this great franchise. Legacy in the form of an anchor tenant
and a business case were part of the criteria that was generally accepted when the Pan
Games Stadium was proposed for Hamilton. Simply put, the facility would have to be
"sustainable" with an anchor tenant to justify federal and provincial taxpayer’s money.

You know that the Tiger-Cats have invested more than $30 million into this team and
community over the course of the past seven years. We were vitally interested in being
part of a stadium solution to replace Ivor Wynne.

Our facilitator, Mr. Fenn, understood these requirements when he advanced the
compromise site on the East Mountain. This site was not our first choice. The most
sensible location for a new stadium is on a small part of Confederation Park. The
highway visibility would have brought the Tiger-Cats to a breakeven situation. The real
development potential within the precinct would have brought jobs and real economic
value to the City.

For reasons unknown to us, and the general public, this site was never an option.


Inherent in our proposal was the opportunity to work with senior levels of government to
build something at the West Harbour that would be consistent with the planning
principles contained in your planning document, Setting Sail.

In my view, this would have been a "win-win" situation. We believe that option was made available but has now been squandered. As the most recent owner of the Tiger-Cats, I have always believed that my primary
responsibility to the organization, the fans and to the memory of my family, who I have
honoured with this ownership, was to ensure that the team would remain sustainable
moving forward. By that, I mean, ECONOMICALLY sustainable.

The West Harbour option which you personally have driven gives the Tiger-Cats no
hope of running a sustainable business. Using “best practice” criteria, and confirmed by
leading experts around North America, this proposed stadium would rank dead last in
North America in terms of usability for its tenants. It imposes a logistical nightmare for
fans, particularly the "regional fans" that Mr. Fenn describes as vital to our survival.

As such, I cannot be part of a process that destines us to financial failure before the first shovel goes in the ground. As owner of the Tiger-Cats, I cannot and will not be party to such an ill-advised concept. I regret that over the course of the past year, you have not been sensitive to our
concerns as your tenant. My major regret is the harsh reality that after next year, there
will be no home for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the City where we shared so much
success and positive experiences together. We note that even in the city’s own report,
that without a tenant you are well beyond $60 million dollars short of building a 25,000
seat facility.

We will play out our days at Ivor Wynne. I know this letter will be a disappointment to our thousands of fans, particularly those
who share our dream as it pertains to a new, sustainable, legacy stadium. We thank
them for their continued support and look forward to seeing them at Ivor Wynne Stadium
for another great Labour Day Classic against the Argonauts on September 6th.

Sincerely,

Mr. Robert (Bob) Young

From The Globe & Mail (David Shoalts) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/ticats-pull-out-of-stadium-debate/article1667147/


An uproar exploded at Hamilton’s city hall on Monday when Hamilton Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young escalated a nasty dispute with Mayor Fred Eisenberger over the site of a Pan Am Games stadium by withdrawing his financial support for the project the day before city council is expected to debate and then pick one of two proposed sites.

The controversy intensified when Hamilton city councillor Sam Merulla told The Spectator newspaper that the Tiger-Cats plan to leave Hamilton for Quebec City. He said the team has a $17-million deal from the city to move to Quebec.

However, a source close to the Tiger-Cats discounted the chances of the team moving to Quebec. But the source did say that it is uncertain where the team will go when its lease at Ivor Wynne Stadium, the aging facility that needs to be replaced, ends in 2011.

In a letter to Eisenberger and council on Monday, Young said, “It saddens me to advise you that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football club is withdrawing from any further discussions and negotiations pertaining to the [location] of the Pan Am Stadium in Hamilton.” Young once promised $15-million toward the East Mountain site with an additional $59-million in other funds if the Tiger-Cats managed the new stadium.

Tiger Cats spokesman Scott McNaughton said neither Young nor Ticats president Scott Mitchell would have any further comment beyond Young’s letter. Eisenberger could not be immediately reached for
comment.

Young and the mayor have been fighting for months over the location of the $102-million stadium, which was expected to be the new home of the CFL’s Ticats in addition to playing host to events for the 2015 Pan Am Games. The team needs a new stadium to replace aging Ivor Wynne Stadium.

The mayor and some councillors want the new stadium built in the West Harbour area of Hamilton near the waterfront, which is about one kilometre from downtown. Young first demanded the stadium be built farther from downtown in Confederation Park, near major highways and then agreed with a facilitator brought in to settle the dispute on a compromise site on the East Mountain, which is about six kilometres from downtown.

A source said Young decided to withdraw his support when provincial and federal politicians began waffling in their support for the East Mountain site. The Canadian government and the province are expected to put around $28.5-million each into the project.

Late last week, Hamilton-area Liberal MPPs Sophia Aggelontis and Ted McMeekin said both the provincial and federal governments would only support a site that would include the Ticats as a future tenant. This caused some hard feelings among Hamilton politicians who felt the other governments were interfering in what they think should be a local decision.

By Saturday, federal Minister of State (Sport) Gary Lunn denied he ever told the province the federal government would only provide funds for the East Mountain site. Both levels of government then issued statements saying they would support any decision by the city, which a source said was when Young became convinced the East Mountain site was dead.

Young said in his letter, “it is painfully apparent, despite the best efforts of our facilitator, Michael Fenn, the plethora of information from stadium experts, and our own financial submissions, that you remain fixated on the West Harbour stadium and without a strong political champion in Hamilton, it is impossible to continue our efforts with respect to the East Mountain proposal.”

The letter did not address the possibility of the Tiger-Cats leaving Hamilton. But it did say there is the “harsh reality that after next year, there will be no home for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the city. … We will play out our days at Ivor Wynne.”

Young argues that a West Harbour stadium will not work financially because it would not be easily accessible to fans. The mayor and his supporters see the West Harbour location as helping the revitalization of the downtown area.

City council is meeting on Tuesday to debate the merits of both sites. It is expected to make an informal decision and then make it official in a vote on Thursday. The Pan Am organizing committee wants a decision by the end of the month or the stadium will be built elsewhere.

 

[Ironhead]

I would like to see the city call the Tiger Cats bluff and just plow ahead with the West Harbour location. Then if the team tries to move, the city should step up and make an offer to buy the team. Ownership would then almost have no option but to move into the new stadium at the West Harbour site.
I figure the CFL would not allow the move because there would be a willing owner, the City of Hamilton, and a new stadium. Another option is the city could start looking for a new owner immediately.

 

[dj1470]

This is a bluff by Bob Young to get concessions from the city.
They were expecting the Ti-Cats to pay for the majority of the stadium and Young disagreed.
They will come back together by the end of the year when the city either ponies up more cash or gives the team tax options.

 

[HOF]

The City of Hamilton Council are voting about this today. It's Pan Am decision day!

CHCH News is covering the meeting live right now.

The problem is greater than the Tiger Cats. If council doesn't get their act together, the Pan Am Games will pull the stadium from Hamilton and build in North Halton.

The city of Hamilton is in no position to buy and operate the Tiger Cats. They lose 3 million annually and I don't think the taxpayers of this city would want to buy this organization and have taxes raised. I've got my season ticket already. In addition, it's not up to the City of Hamilton to look for a new owner because they don't own the team in the first place.

If you're not aware, the City operates the stadium, concessions, grounds, security, etc. The team pays for the Police.

CFL commissioner Cohen has publicly stated that he supports Bob Young, not the City of Hamilton. He went as far to tell council don't expect an expansion team if they leave.
Bob Young has said, at this point, the Tiger Cats will be playing out their lease 2011 and will search for a new home.

What some do not realize is that Bob Young (Hamiltonian) wants the stadium on the E. Mountain, but he is also committed to helping restore the W. Harbour with the Velodrome, Ampitheatre, several other projects in that area. Bob Young also wants to bring ML Soccer to Hamilton; he owns part of the Carolina team. Bob Young has a guarantee from Live Nation for concerts. Maybe, if Bob Young's ideas come to fruition, Hamilton could get a hockey team!

Maybe, the City should give Bob Young (the key to the city) and let him run with it. God only knows, city council is full of incompetance.

 

[Ironhead]

This is a bluff by Bob Young to get concessions from the city.
They were expecting the Ti-Cats to pay for the majority of the stadium and Young disagreed.
They will come back together by the end of the year when the city either ponies up more cash or gives the team tax options.

I suspect the same thing. However I think the city should take a stand. The City of Hamilton should not give into the team and should be prepared to own the team for a while or find an owner themselves.


How much was each party supposed to put into the project ?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Does anyone understand what the problem is with the stadium location.
I've never been able to understand what this Bob Young is complaining about.
Hamilton is geographically a pretty small area to me so there's probably just 2 or 3 places a new stadium could go and in the artists pictures the stadium looks pretty good sitting in west Hamilton harbour area.

 

[HOF]

Does anyone understand what the problem is with the stadium location.
I've never been able to understand what this Bob Young is complaining about.
Hamilton is geographically a pretty small area to me so there's probably just 2 or 3 places a new stadium could go and in the artists pictures the stadium looks pretty good sitting in west Hamilton harbour area.

In reality, it's parking and transportation.

The E. Mountain isn't really much better. Two lane roads.

The Provincial and Federal funding is in limbo if the stadium doesn't have a long term tenant (Ti-Cats)

 

[HOF]

What the Ti-Cats sent all season ticket holders

Fred Eisenberger, the Mayor of Hamilton, is not listening to the experts. He continues to attempt to rally support to build a stadium in a location that makes no economic sense for a stadium. A location that all the experts who have looked at it recognize will not work for a stadium.

Please see Bob Young's rebuttal to the Mayor's recent Op Ed piece in the Hamilton Spectator, below.

We need your help. Please send a note to some or all of Hamilton City Council to try and convince them that Hamilton needs a new stadium, but we need one that is financially sustainable without further taxpayer dollars in a location that works as a stadium.

Click here to contact Hamilton City Council members. Thank you for your help on this important project.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats



The City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats need your help!

I'm not unhappy or frustrated with the Stadium debate in our community but I am very worried.

Public debates about the best way to make major public investments are always a good thing in our democracy. But it is essential that these debates are based on facts and not opinions or wishful thinking. The City is, quite correctly, committed to fixing up the underdeveloped but high potential West Harbour area of downtown Hamilton.

Unfortunately the debate in Hamilton is being characterized as being about Public Good versus Private Interest. But these two concepts are not mutually exclusive. In fact in all successful cities they are in lock-step.

The idea is government builds infrastructure that enables the "invisible hand of the market" to work most efficiently. For example McMaster University in Hamilton is largely publicly funded and the result is that it graduates many of the bright young people who go on to build successful businesses in our community. Creating employment and paying the taxes that enable the next generation of students to be educated at McMaster.

A public investment such as a Stadium should be held to the same standard. It should be built in a way and in a location that enable the users of the Stadium to pay the costs of maintaining the stadium and to contribute to the economy of the City by bringing fans, and attendees from across the province to Hamilton. And to build the brand of the City of Hamilton across Canada and across North America.

To give you an idea of the value the Ticats bring to raising awareness of our community across North America, take a look at the Internet viral video phenomenon of Hamilton Ticat receiver Dave Stala on his TD celebration, more than a million people have viewed a version of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuwfGLQQD2g

The problem the Pan Am stadium could fix is that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have lost money consistently since the 1960's and this financial stress has resulted in poor on-field performance ever since. I certainly deserve my share of criticism for the Ticats' lack of success on the field in recent years, but the sad fact is our favourite team has under-performed compared to our competitors ever since the 1972 team we honoured at the game last night.

It is not easy running a professional sports team. With few exceptions such as the Maple Leafs or the New York Yankees, most sports teams barely pay their bills. So if Hamilton, the Province and the Government of Canada are going to invest in a stadium in Hamilton they cannot be casual about how they go about this, because they run the risk that they will build a stadium that cannot support the teams playing there.

To ensure we understood all the factors necessary to build a financially successful stadium for our City and our team, we have reached out to leading stadium experts across Canada and in the US. They studied all the stadiums built in North America over the last 30 years and studied the factors that made the successful ones successful and the factors that caused the unsuccessful ones to fail.

The list of these experts and their findings can be found at www.goeastmountain.com. They then came to Hamilton and studied all the possible locations for a 25,000 seat stadium. They concluded there were better locations than the East Mountain, but there were no worse locations for a stadium than the West Harbour due to many factors ranging from its proximity to a residential neighbourhood to its poor road access.

Interestingly, City Council in Hamilton used to agree with the stadium expert's analysis. There used to be a plan, called the old Perimeter road project, to connect Burlington Street to the 403 Highway. When City Council decided to cancel that project they also recognized that without good road access the West Harbour area was not suitable for a 25,000 seat stadium. Hamilton's "official plan" now dedicates the the West Harbour to medium density urban housing, offices, and retail development. Today the proposed West Harbour site is a mile and a half from the nearest highway access.

The City of Hamilton's and the Ticats goal for the new stadium should be to host over a 100 dates a year. We may not get to a 100, but we know we can easily host dozens more events than we could at Ivor Wynne.

Large audience events ranging from Soccer, to national championships, to cultural festivals, to music concerts. To host this many events,the stadium cannot be located in a residential neighbourhood as all the traffic and crowds on that many dates will do significant harm to the quiet enjoyment of the residents of those neighbourhoods. It is exactly this problem that limits our beloved but old Ivor Wynne Stadium to little more than the ten Tiger-Cat home games every year.

The reason I'm so worried is that the Tiger-Cats have gone bust 6 times (just ask any of the previous owners/managers of the team if you don't believe me) in the last 30 years playing at Ivor Wynne. This Pan Am stadium is our once in a lifetime opportunity to build a stadium where the City and the Ticats can pay their bills hosting many more events than just 10 CFL football home games at a new stadium that will serve our community for the next sixty years.

If our elected leaders choose to attempt to fix an eyesore in the West Harbour with the Pan Am funds without listening to the experts on why that location will not work for hosting successful large audience events then the stadium will be a financial failure. But more likely Hostco, the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the Tiger-Cats, and I would hope the City of Hamilton will chose not to make such an investment.

The result would be that the more than $60 million dollars that the Province and the Government of Canada want to invest in our community will be spent elsewhere.

Please help convince our Mayor and our Council that we need to work together to come up with win-win solutions for both the West Harbour and the East Mountain Stadium before the Pan Am funds are no longer available to us.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Cheers,



Bob Young
The Caretaker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club

 

[HOF]

I sent a letter to the Tiger Cats expressing my concerns and views, and this is what was sent back:

I understand your concern with the whole stadium process and I too share your concerns. There definitely needs to be some sort of revitalization at the West Harbour, but a football stadium is not the answer. I was born and raised in Hamilton myself, and this is far from the first process in which the city has halted a project. Two prime examples is with the Royal Connaught, and the new McMaster Business campus being built in Burlington due to the many constraints placed on them by the Mayor, and his stubborn policies.. This has driven the new McMaster Campus to Burlington, and the condos that were to be built at the old Royal Connaught under former Mayor Di Ianni were canceled when Mayor Eisenberger was elected.

It seems like every time there is a good business opportunity to help revitalize downtown, it never happens. Mr. Young also has tried to work with the Mayor and the city through meetings and discussions but they continued to ignore him, which is why he felt like he had to come public with this issue. Furthermore both parties agree to a facilitator, who not only went against the West Harbour but offered a compromised location in the East Mountain. Mr. Young has agreed to this new proposed location, but he also has agreed to help revitalize the West Harbour that could host an amphitheater, velodrome and a park for everyday use.

I can ensure you the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are doing their best to work something out in which this organization can operate for another 141 years, yet help the revitalization of the West Harbour. If you have any more concerns, please feel free to contact me. Thanks.

Regards,

Alex Indelicato

Account Service Representative

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Maybe they should just tear down Ivor Wynne Stadium and put up a new stadium in the same location.
The Tiger Cats could spend a year playing at McMaster University.
It would probably take 5 months to demolish, tear down, clean up and prep the old site and 12 months to build a new stadium assuming there's no strikes by major labour unions.

So after the football season they could go from December to April demolishing and cleaning up and preping the old site.
And then April to April the next year building the new stadium in time for a new football season.

 

[dj1470]

Maybe they should just tear down Ivor Wynne Stadium and put up a new stadium in the same location.
The Tiger Cats could spend a year playing at McMaster University.
It would probably take 5 months to demolish, tear down, clean up and prep the old site and 12 months to build a new stadium assuming there's no strikes by major labour unions.

So after the football season they could go from December to April demolishing and cleaning up and preping the old site.
And then April to April the next year building the new stadium in time for a new football season.

Impossible. It would violate zoning laws.
Only reason IW is still there is a grandfather clause in the by-laws.
They have to move!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hamilton politicians seem to want to make life miserable for the Tiger Cats.

At the new proposed west harbour location politicians promised local residents that they would not expand or fix service roads leading into the new stadium which guarantees bottlenecks and traffic gridlock for games.

 

[shack]

The team's proposal seems to make much more sense, assuming the independent experts did indeed agree. The team even promises to contribute to the redevelopment of the West Harbour.