Raise the Hammer

There are too many potential negatives to this whole stadium game.

1. We are currently at the beginning of what is expected to be a deep recession, potentially a depression. Tax revenues wiill no doubt be declining, Adding to an already massive debt at this time doesn't make sense. In order for the city to grow and improve, tax rates need to be sustainable. They currently are not, and a recession will make the situation much, much worse than it is today. 'Matching tax rates with Toronto' would entail basically shutting down the city. Taxes are destined to go up, way up. A stadium will only add to that increase.

2. Even if we could afford the capital costs, the operating costs are prohibitive. The Tiger Cats' stadium operating costs for Ivor Wynne are currently subsidized by the city. Operating a second stadium will cost significantly more.

3. Obaining enough financing from the capital markets for a stadium will be difficult. It may even prevent Hamilton from being able to finance other priorities, such as LRT. Since LRT is far more important to life in the city than a stadium, we need to give that project top priority. It's very likely that saying yes to a stadium means saying no to LRT.

4. What is to become of Ivor Wynne if a new stadium is built? There is little appetite for development in this part of Hamilton, except for more big box stores. It's very likely that taxpayers will either be paying to maintain an empty stadium, paying to tear it down and maintain another parking lot, or selling the land to developers for another big box plaza.

5. There is no business plan for how this stadium is used after the Pan Am games are over. Sure we will have 8 regular season Ti-Cats games, so we can count on the stadium being used 9-12 days every year. What will attract 20,000 or more people to the stadium on the other 353 days?

6. Hamilton's council has shown atrocious judgement with every major development decision it has made...Lister, City Hall, brownfields, Red Hill, Aerotropolis...the list goes on. Whatever decision is made on a Pan Am stadium, it is clear it will be directly against the best interests of the people of Hamilton.