It could be the answer to Hamilton's Pan Am stadium debacle.
Mayor Bob Bratina and Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young are holding a joint news conference at Ivor Wynne stadium today to announce a potential solution to their standoff.
The announcement comes as city council is set to meet Wednesday to ratify a December decision to take Confederation Park off the table.
Hamilton has until February 1st to confirm it's Pan Am stadium plans.
CHML News will be at this morning's news conference.
"Ivor wynne coming down. New stadium to be built in the same location or at scott park lands. Sorry not totally sure of logistics"
"Bratina, province and ticats worked this out and our stadium is going to happen"
"Unless council gets crazy and votes it down wednesday"
"So no WH, no confed, no aldershot or EM. New stadium will be built at ivor wynne location"
"That's what I know. More details after 11 am press conference"
Well, that is a surprise, if it's accurate. Maybe people are just having some fun with Mark. Cannot, for the life of me, see how this is preferable to West Harbour for the Ticats.
Well, i will give a prediction while I sit on pins and needles waiting for 11:00
Option 1 (unlikely)
Ticats are going to play at West Harbour if city builds a perimeter road.
Option 2 (Likely)
Ticats play in Aldershot, city gives some money, ticats/Bob Young(whom will be owed an apology from many after today) help's WH location, hold all Grey Cup events at WH, soccer academy with small field with bleachers for 2000-3000 at WH.
CHML has now tentatively confirmed the "new Ivor Wynne" story also
If true, I like the leadership of both Bobs here.........is it the perfect solution ?................perhaps not but it will guarantee that Mississauga doesn't poach our money in spite of Hamilton Council's and Troop's recent attempts to send this 100 million elsewhere.
Best news I've heard all day, which is still young, he-he. No doubt the flying rats over at RTH will blow a gasket, they are in love with the toxic west harbour pipe-dream. Too funny, that is.
Sorry all but I don't like this solution. It does nothing for the city and the city will still end up with a facility with limited events due to proximity to houses. I will still be at every game.
Well if it is a new or refurbished IWS in that location, this tells me Bob most likely has definite plans to sell the team sooner rther than later. You know he doesn't like that location. It's not a whole new paradigm type of thinking for the team, it's just to be sure Hamilton gets the PanAm money and it won't be that expensive of a plan. I'm not that excited if this is what is happening but yes, Larry is the man if this is true. Of course for me personally, I'm fine with the current location of IWS. :?
I believe we may finally have satisfactory resolution to the stadium issue. The Tiger Cats are prepared to sign a lengthy lease with the City to continue to play in a rebuilt stadium on the Ivor Wynne site. The old stadium was originally rejected because of the requirement for about twenty acres to include an adjacent warm-up track as required by Hostco. This configuration was not possible on the available land. When the difficulties over site selection continued to the point where the deadline was looming the Tiger Cat management put all options on the table. In our discussion yesterday afternoon I urged them to give serious consideration to rehabilitation of the old stadium, and a long-term agreement with the City as a show of faith to residents and fans. There was no hesitation by both Bob Young and Scott Mitchell in agreeing to a 20 year lease arrangement, pending details of course.
We are prepared now to present this to the public and media, and bring it forward for Council consideration at the Jan 12 meeting.
I would have preferred to speak to each of you personally but thought it best to get this information to you as quickly as possible.
A redone IWS ???? after all of that ??? you know it wouldn't surprise me but talk about a HUGE waste of time ,money,and effort not to mention the huge divide it caused amongst the fans of the Ti-Cats ...
HEY EARL didn't you say before if Bob stayed at IWS you'd bail out and become an argo fan?
I just hope for people's sake there that Hamilton does not contribute 1 cent to anything in Aldershot that becomes burlingtons problem and shouldn't be a drain of any tax dollars from Hamilton
I also Cannot see the Ti-Cats going anywhere and then contributing to the WH site ..
guess the guessing game will commence until the news conference ... dangit now i'll have to log back on this afternoon to see whats up ....
Wow.... always my first choice. Sentiment, perhaps. Never thought I'd see it. Possible build on Scott Park while the old stadium stays in operation and then a tear down of the old when the new is ready?
Unfortunately it smacks of last minute desperation (due to Council royally screwing this up) and it still retains all the issues at IWS that were also at WH (buried and restricted within a residential area, poor access, parking and visibility).
Will a refurbished/rebuilt IWS pass muster with Toronto PanAm and qualify for the full initial funding? (partners listed include the City, TiCats and Province... where's the Feds?)
I love the fact the team stays in Hamilton but this is like fixing up the 20 year old clunker with tape and bondo.
