A lot of people were hoping that Halifax would get the games and they would build a stadium. But this morning Nova Scotia decided its just too expensive - approaching $1B.
Remember it was Hamilton and Halifax that were battling out to win the Canadian bid.
Is it too late for Hamilton to jump in now? it's an opportunity to get a new stadium.
Hosting the games goes well beyond getting a new stadium. It would accelerate the revitalization of our City, repairing of our aging infrastructure and do wonders for our poor image.
We should seize this opportunity forthwith!!
Any lenghty delays by City Council debating this no brainer would be a tragety.
For those that worry about the 3/4 of a billion price tag bear in mind that the last bid Hamilton won to represent Canada when they lost out they had commitments from the Federal and Provincial Gov't totalling 500 Million dollars. ( and that was 4 years ago ) Not to mention all the private corporate money that would flow.
A committment of about 100 million by the city for the type of money that would flow back to the city would represent less than 10% investment by the City to change our fortunes once and for all.
It states the Federal Gov't committment is $400 million ( thats up from $250 million that they promised Hamilton 4 years ago and I would presume that the Provincial gov't would match that, after all Ontario is in a better financial postion that the east coast provinces) So the total committment by both gov't could exceed $800 million.
There is also more access to corporate $$ in Ontario as well.
If this inflates Hamiltons share to even 25% I still say its a great deal and a once in a lifetime opportunity to change Hamilton for the better. AND please bear in mind this in my opinion goes well beyond getting a new stadium for those that would bash Gov't $$ going to sports facilities.
Well, Halifax has been playing with numbers in the area of $1.5 billion; so, perhaps $90 million for a 25,000 seat stadium might just seem like a bargain to whomever is holding the purse strings down there!
Just because a second-rate track and field event was kiboshed does not necessarily mean Halifax/Dartmouth couldn't use a CFL capable facility...
Diane Dupuis, a very famous Hamiltonian and creator of "The Famous People Players" which depicts very large, colourful puppets with infra red lights making them come to life in a darkened theatre. Dupuis had a Hollywood movie made of her life originating with her birth and start in puppetry in Hamilton. She lived next door to former Hamilton coach, Carl Voyles. She is famous because she has trained mentally handicapped individuals to operate these life sized puppets in a dinner theatre in Toronto. She has won the "Order of Canada" for her work with these individuals and to get to the point, she has written several books, my favourite being one called, "Dare to Dream".
This is the kind of thinking and courage it takes to move ahead in today's world. Let's hope Hamilton will seize the momment and follow Diane's lead.
If there is so much as a remote chance of this city getting the Commonwealth Games, I hope it is studied very carefully from the standpoint of government fianaces as well as local and outside support. Hamilton narrowly lost the bid to Halifax for these games, and I can't say I blame Halifax for pulling out after the projected cost escalated nearly a billion dollars. The same could happen to us, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The numbers I quoted in my previous posts as far as what was comitted in the past by both levels of Gov’ts and what they are offering now are accurate. Do I truly know the total costs of the games…No I don’t know that.
But what I do believe is that the total costs would not be as high as Halifax as we have some venues already in place that don’t have to be built. Copps, The new facilities at MacMaster and Ivor Wynne which can still be used even if a new stadium is built. Macs Dorms could also house the athletes.
We also have a much larger population base to draw from and a reputation in this City for volunteerism that would make the job of hosting the games that much easier.
I also think this issue warrants out city to seriously explore the numbers and revisit the situation.
You may not like my “fuzzy numbers” Laughing hard but you don’t offer any arguments for or against other than to state that the Gov’t of Halifax states the cost to be 1.7 billion and you don’t like what I have to say.
Read todays Spec about this city needing to think outside the box to change and improve its image. You may find it enlightening
Although this is a Halifax/Nova Scotia issue more than a federal issue I think, it makes all of Canada look small-time. Of course, I suppose we are small-time in many respects though when you get down to it.
Why? Because it appears, and I stress appears, to outsiders that we couldn't get our act together to make something like a CG happen. If Vancouver dropped out of the running after putting in their bid for the Olympics, the same international image would happen only bigger.
But it is just image, and that's all, which may not be that important anyway in whatever circles ie. investment, business, tourism etc.
Unfortunately too many entrepreneurs in Canada are wiling to spend only $1, but expect to make $100, whereas some entrepreneurs from other countries realize to make a buck you got to spend a buck, and would settle for a return of $101 on an investment of $100.
Vancouver is going to have the Olympics in 2010, so even if Hamilton bid on the 2014 Commonwealth Games, would Canada get similar major events so close together? I doubt it.