The Ticats Should Ask For A Peice of the Copps Pie

If Basille gets the Coyotes and the levels of government are willing to pitch in 100 million to fix up Copps, I think the Ticats should ask the mayor of Hamilton if he could get an extra 25 million to help spruce up Eyesore Wynn Stadium at the same time.
The Ticats are the other major team in Hamilton, and they should be treated accordingly.
Oh theres talk of a new stadium for the Pan Am games, but thats a longshot in my opinion.
Not only would a fixed up stadium help Ticats attendance, it will also help improve the image of Hamilton.
Because when I see that stadium on TV, with its cheap benches painted with a mish mash of colours, it gives me a negative image of Hamilton as a whole.
A fixed up Copps and a fixed up Eyesore Wynn would take Hamilton pro sports into a new era.
Come on Ticat ownership. Start speaking up!

I think the important thing is for government to be CONSISTENT in these matters. Either you treat requests for professional sport stadium/arena funding like any other infrastructure request, that is do the due dilligence on cost/benefit, long-term legacy, profitability, community impact or whatever metrics seem most important. That, or you simply state that "government in Canada does not build stadiums/arenas that might/would hold professional sports teams" and leave it at that.

IF the government throws the money out the door for a Ballsille Copps request but then says "We don't fund pro sports" to Bob Young and other potential investors looking into Ivor Wynne/new football stadium in Hamilton (not even considering the request on its merits or lack therefore), then Hamilton should be looking at legal action against the Province/Ottawa, there must be some laws on the books about not discriminating, or appearing to show favoritism or something like that to one kind of business infrastructure proposal over another.

They're already planning something with regards to the Pan Am stadium. They cant ask for both.

I don't think well get the Pan-Am Games

So after that maybe Local government will cough up some cash to fix IWS

Last time I went to a Cats game it looked like they have painted all the seats black & gold. To your point of equally funding Copps and Ivor Wynne, I agree but Ontario’s luck has been so bad at landing a major sporting event maybe the streak will be broken by landing the Pan Am’s. Wouldn’t hurt to wait. Here’s a picture of IWS:

http://www.yourcanadianconnection.ca/images/hamiltonphotos/IvorWynneStadium_Hamilton.jpg

Maybe they've changed the colours since the last time I've seen the stadium, but isn't there that one section with the Canadian flag painted on it? Still, either way its time for upgrades or a new stadium altogether. Not a Taj Mahal like Copps will be, but at least something decent that will give the city a good image.