This year the Grey Cup is in Montreal. So I was curious where the next few Grey Cup Games are. I googled the year 2009 and found out that next year it is in Calgary.
According to Scott Mitchell just before Calgary was announced for next year, he was approached with hosting the 10 Grey Cup but declined becasue of the state that IWS is in and limited amount of concession stands that are currently present.
The cats should go agressively after this cup. It gets more season ticket holders and the cats will actually have a shot to get there.
I was at the GC in the T.dot last year and had a phenominal time and can't wait for another local cup. The ticket prices are ridiculous but you will have memories to last a lifetime
It would be fantastic for Hamilton to host the 2010 game but only if it can be done with some number crunching that would make sense. Remember in 1997? The Argos were in it and lo and behold, very, very few Argo fans/Torontonians bothered to make the long, long trek down the QEW to watch their team. And the game was not a sellout, they started giving away tickets practically through some deal at $25.00. An embarrasement for a lot of people. If anything like this would happen again, it would be a disgrace.
Really, is IWS, despite the great sightlines and that, worthy of hosting a Grey Cup in this day and age? I have a lot of doubts.
I have been to a few Grey Cup Games and have had a great time at each one. Went to the 1996 Grey Cup Game in Hamilton, it was excellent. Was the best one I have been to, until I am able to be at one that the Cats win at.
If Hamilton could get the 2010 Grey Cup they could do a 2 year package. Fans that lock in for the 2 year package get first chance at those seats for the big game. After this season, I can see the team losing more season ticket holders again and the 2 year package deal would be a good incentive for fans to jump on board again.
Having the Grey Cup game in Hamilton also lets on fans that can not afford to fly across the country to watch the game, have a chance to be able to afford tickets to the game being played here.
But the flip side is that I can also see them waiting to see if we get a new stadium from the bid for the games.
There isn't enough places to eat near the stadium before the game. In walking distance your options are mcdonalds, subway, pizza pizza or that other pizza place by the big bee. If your up for a big walk you can go to pizza hut. There needs to be more restaurants around the stadium, places like boston pizza or jack astors where before or after the game you can sit down and have a nice meal and a drink and discuss the game.
i dont think not having a jack astors in walking distance to the stadium should disqualify us from having the grey cup. theres not that many teams in the league and regardless of where the ticats play, everyone should get a shot at it.
What do people mean, disqualify us? If the TiCats and city of Hamilton come up with the money the CFL wants for hosting the game, it's ours I think, I don't think the CFL cares at all how many restaurants, hotels are within whatever distance to the stadium.
If Saskatchewan can successfully host a Grey Cup then so can we...
Regina has limited hotels and restaurants and that didn't stop them from hosting a great G.C. The one thing that Hamilton has going for us is the excellent marketing team that we have in place here now as opposed to the last time we had the cup. Temporary bleachers can add a lot of seats especially in the west endzone. Our sight lines are the best in the CFL and knowledgeable fans would love to sit in the crowd here and experience the game live rather than at home.
Concessions can easily be set up temporarily. Portable gas grills, etc. would go a long way and its easy to sell more suds.
I would love the Hammer to host Grey Cup 2010. With our current marketers and support staff we could put on a great weekend. It would give the people of Hamilton an opportunity to share some steel city hospitality. :thup:
Seems like there is a decent amount, most are within 10km, for the others you'd have to travel a bit.. some of the smaller hotels would probably be questionable..
Really I don't think its the right time to host a grey cup. There is still a lot of work to be done to the downtown core, there are still uncertainties about the state of Ivor Wynne, and whether or not we will be getting a new stadium in the Pam-Am games bid. There is also the lack of parking space. With a 25,000+ crowd it gets pretty tight, I can't imagine where people would park if there was temporary seating for 35,000(+/-), i don't think there are that many lawns
As for the restaurant argument, while there isn't a lot of big names downtown, there are many small-medium sized local restaurants, but with the amount of people they'd probably have to travel to the surrounding areas. (Upper James/Mountain, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, etc.)
With that said, it is doable, but I don't think management wants the grey cup with the state of the stadium and facilities. The attractions and stuff leading up to the game can be done now with Hamilton Place/Convention Center, Gage Park, Copps, etc.
I would rather do it right then have the grey cup game before the city is ready for it. Wait until we have the proper facilities, adequate hotel space, parking, etc.
its not like people are just going to start building hotels, or putting tgi fridays downtown. ive stayed by the stadium in regina and its sketchville down there. and ivor wynne is a way better place for football than skydome. which is bad for football and probably one of the worst fo baseball as well.
its not like people are just going to start building hotels, or putting tgi fridays downtown. ive stayed by the stadium in regina and its sketchville down there. and ivor wynne is a way better place for football than skydome. which is bad for football and probably one of the worst fo baseball as well.
Commonwealth is also in the middle of nowhere. Stuff like that doesn't matter, because most of the events and parties are in the days leading up to the game, so they don't need to be anywhere near the stadium.
The two things Hamilton has going against it is the stadium and the apathy of Hamiltonians. The stadium issue is obvious. I still think that Hamiltonians, unless the Cats are in it, won’t support it in the kind of numbers that are needed. Hamilton still isn’t the kind of city where 30,000 people will plunk down $200 a ticket just because it’s the Grey Cup. I hope that someday it becomes that kind of place, but 2010 isn’t that far off .
I hate to say it, but with Toronto being a 40 minute car ride away, the availability of hotel rooms is not an issue. IWS however, is a non-starter. Even with modest upgrades, the stadium is just not up to snuff when you're talking about hosting the Grey Cup game. (Nor is something like BMO field for that matter.)
aside from the crappy food, there is nothing you can say that is gonna convince me that ivor wynne is a dump. its been the highlight of the last few games ive been to, the location is perfect and the atmosphere is amazing. while skydome may have sushi, it still stinks, if they can host a great cup in that waste of money that really should be exploded sooner than later, i dont see why we cant in a stadium thats a million times better. though the apathy arguement makes some sense, perhaps this coudl serve to get people interested in the cfl again in the city?
I agree, Hamilton is just not the place for a Grey Cup. All the benefits of a Hamilton Grey Cup go to Toronto. These days the Grey Cup usually brings in around 30,000 out of towners, they will take hotel rooms in Toronto and spend their money there.
I was at the Grey Cup in Ottawa in 04 - a sellout at 52,000. Ottawa is a tourist town with thousands of hotel rooms and they were all sold out that weekend.
A Grey Cup in Hamilton means going to Toronto, partying in Toronto and coming over to Hamilton for the game.
2010 also happens to be the Riders 100th anniversary and I have heard rumours that Saskatchewan will try and get the 2010 game. With that said, Edmonton and Hamilton should be ahead of Regina because Regina last hoster in 2003.
Hamilton and Burlington has enough hotels to cover the crowds that would come in.
There is a ton of stuff to do in Hamilton.
Why does everyone compare us to Toronto and that we are never as good as Toronto?
They can have the Grey Cup festivities at the convention centre.
There is always something going on at Hamilton Place or Copss Colliseum.
People will visit the HOF.
For the nite life we have Hess Village, Honest Lawyer, Tap House etc.
People generally come to the Grey Cup for 3-4 days. The nights are generally spent at the grey cup parties, during the day, people do the touristy stuff in the city and surrounding area. There is more than enough to do in Hamilton and they don’t have to worry about being shot!
Wow, and I thought “the shtick” means Hamilton has everything, at least a darn football stadium the city can be proud of to host a Grey Cup game at. :lol: I know, I know, we’re still waiting for that NHL team. :lol:
City ambassadors get computer shtick: high-tech flash drives slick economic recruitment tool that paints rosy picture of Hamilton
