Just listening to Doug Brown's Spinzone and he's saying the Palmer group has accepted a 5 or 6 million dollar expansion fee to return to the CFL in 08. The only thing that stands in the way is the city/paperwork.
Guess we'll know about this more tomorrow, just got excited so I had to poster up.
Now Expansion Draft talks time.
This is a perfect time for this to get straightened out so the Ottawa team has the full season to get it's things in order, possibly start signing players as early as September/October.
Now work on ATLANTIC CANADA 10 TEAMS IN '08 and a Xbox/PS2 or 360/PS3 Video game.
Appreciate the heads up. :thup:
I thought they had already agreed on the expansion fee, and just had to sort out the expansion draft? Or, maybe they just had an agreement in principle, and hadn't actually signed.
Anyway, if there's actually a signature, that's great news. The money issue is always the toughest. Hopefully more good news will come soon ...
lol, crazy eh?
so much good news about the CFL seems to keep coming.
Start off with the TSN deal,
Comish who spits out alot of the same stuff.. but has interesting contacts that may make it happen.
CFLPA - talking about doing a possible CFLPA all-star game
SMS
All 8 Franchises very very strong.
Now Ottawas return
Constant talks about a 10th stadium, but actual possiblities in Atlantic canada.(Halifax money set aside from the Games has yet to be spent, Moncton is building a stadium of 11K seats but easily could move up)
Lots of Video game talk, some coming from the Comish.
Really? That's interesting ...
I'll actually wait for the official announcement of Ottawa coming back, before saying they're back for sure 
I don't like counting my chickens before they hatch ... (but I do like quoting clichés).
As for the chatting about a 10th stadium/team, I think that's mostly hopeful speculation on our parts ...
I also think that Jesse not getting along with Montreal has something to do with this. I guess the good side to this is that Ottawa is closer, but the bad side is he'll be our QB thanks to daddy.
Has anyone found any written info on this?
I'd say it's just speculation, right now. But the good news is, at least Jesse can play football ... though I don't know how well he's suited to the CFL.
He seems to be big into broadcasting now, though, with the NFL network. Maybe he'll just keep doing that.
Well of course it's all speculation, but hey why not.
gotta keep high hopes.
There have also been two Speculation things recently read by moi.
-That one is wild, some 5B$ plan that involved a Stadium, Arena(Flames) and Retail along with other things. Wouldn't be at all suprised if it is false
Can someone who has been there remember if there were any?
Possibly 3 new Stadiums(1 is all but garanteed), constant talk of a new team out East(nothing new, but come on) looking to be a good time in the CFL
I was referring to Jesse playing for Ottawa as being speculation ... and moreso than the standard, team-in-Halifax speculation ... but anyway 
I haven't heard anything about the Stamps getting a new stadium. I don't think we need one, but of course it would be nice 
There was an article in the paper about the Flames exploring options to replace the Saddledome (which did make me think - what about the fact that McMahon is older than the Saddledome?).
I can see Ottawa getting a new stadium if they get a franchise back with solid ownership. It is the nation's capital afterall and hosting our biggest championship game in the nation's capital should be a must every so often I would think.
Kev, I don’t know if I beleive the person saying it, but it was said. lol.
here:(from the Official Bomber Forums)
"now there is talk in Calgary that they are going to unveil plans on the proposed mega plex built near the airport.
they were talking about this today, and there is a article in the paper i believe on sunday special, about the current ownership have been talking with the plan group who brought this up with the city about 5 years ago.
The plan involves a Calgary mall owner, Calgary Flames, Calgary Stampeders, and the exhibition partership group, which I read works with the Canadian Olympics.
The cost of the project runs around $5 billion, and details are the following.
-45,000 seat football stadium
-21,000 seat hockey rink
-new olympic offices, and event centre.
-outdoor shopping market
-large retail shops
-offices for businesses, including Olympics, and exibition offices(they would be moving it’s offices to this location)
-community park-(baseball/softball/hockey rink, and outdoor event centre)
-It mentioned that they also added from last proposal room for a newly developed area which will be able to provide more retail, condos, and restaurants.
Apparently the proposed deal was put on hold in 2002 because of the Flames, Airport, and provincial gov’t not agreeing on certain principles. The article said that the Flames have had talks the past year and are eager to start the process.
Also the provincial gov’t will be willing to put in $350 million as the city has already given $150 for the project.
A far cry to what our gov’t is being asked.
They say about $250 million will be raised through special taxes, and the federal gov’t may not even be needed.
The article also suggested the Stampeders have been apart of the talks, but the stadium may be built another time, if they don’t agree on terms soon."
This can be completely false as it is not from a Paper, just some guy posted so who knows
I am not really sure why the Saddledome would even need to be replaced, built in 1983, seems to have a decent capacity and Luxury box space, Edmontons Rexall is the Arena needing to be replaced.
It does look sweet if it is true.
PSH who cares about Ottawa getting the grey cup game, hold it in Winnipeg and Edmonton every 4-5 years.
Then rotate the other 2-3 cups between TO, Montreal and BC.
If Calgary gets a new stadium add them in. every 9 years give Sask a Grey cup.
Is this new?
[url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=2ea1cb89-e4ba-4a9f-b7bc-d0437efc53d8]http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news ... 437efc53d8[/url]Agreement-in-principle reached to have CFL team back in Ottawa in 2008
Bill Palmer, who represents a group of investors looking to return a Canadian Football League franchise to Ottawa, confirmed yesterday that an agreement-in-principle was in place with the league that could see a team playing in 2008. The deal includes a whopping franchise fee of at least $5.5-million with a non-refundable deposit. According to several CFL sources, Palmer's group wants operational control of Frank Clair Stadium and to ensure certain levels of service that the City of Ottawa, the facility's owner, has not provided in the past. They also want financial relief, including not having to pay the rent previous ownership groups have paid, which was the most expensive in the CFL. Palmer has previously said he wants the business affairs for a new team to be up and running by the time the eight current clubs open training camp next month.
No, but it's pretty recent. Last weekend of April or so.
This is the most recent I've seen. It's from the Spectator late last week:
===============
"Spec: What do you set as the chances of the CFL returning to Ottawa for the 2008 season?
Cohon: "I think it is going to take some time for us to find the right ownership group. It is very important that we find a group that is committed to the long term. The biggest mistake we could face is to go in there and not have the right group backing it and have a similar problem two or three years from now.
Spec: Are you confident the league will return to Ottawa for 2008?
Cohon: I'm not sure about 2008. I just want to make sure we have the right ownership before we go back.
Oh... that's pretty damn bleak. He's talking like Palmer's not even in the picture anymore.
Seriously, who knows anymore? It looked great two weeks ago, it looks bleak now, it could look great again tomorrow. I even wonder how up to speed Cohon is on the whole thing. And no one else is talking, so we don't know $#!t.
It is what it is. I think shutting out the fans is beyond dumb, but that's the path they've chosen. I think they're making their own job harder, but hey, they must know best.
Would it be a good idea if fans heard every detail in a process such as this? especially when all your news is through the media?
they would spin it up and down 24/7 Fans would be on a roller coaster.
You can't expect this to be done fast, each side is being cautious. If Palmer wants it done by the times camps open then I'd think it would be part of the State of league address no? Perhaps there is a reason it's the last one. Fans just have no patients like everyone else. now now now is always what is wanted.
Wow, that's weird, what Cohon was saying. I'm shocked he made it sound like the Palmer group wasn't an option ... maybe he was just giving the standard line. You know, "we'll find whoever's best", and simply not mentioning the progress with Palmer?
I certainly hope it's not an indication that there's a problem with the Palmer group, and that things are just at the stage where something needs to be done with the city. (Which I don't know if I should be optimistic about, or not.)
But yeah, the CFL is usually quiet about these things, never mind the lack of attention the media pays it anyway ...
I don't want every detail. I want to know very basic stuff. Where they're at. When they'll be talking next. Those kinds of things. As it is, to read Cohon's comments, it doesn't even sound as though he knows how many groups are bidding and they can't even pinpoint a year.
Now now now? Bud, it's been 13 months. To at least have a clear picture of where we stand by now doesn't seem to be something unreasonable to ask for.
Whether you or anyone agrees, there are a number of us who felt shafted by the suspension. We were mad at losing a season. We ended being told we'd miss two. Cohon has just sown the seeds for losing a third one. You'll have to excuse me if I seem impatient.
It's all fine and good to say that those who didn't support the team deserve it, but those that did support it do not.