Raise the Hammer

Here are some preliminary points to consider in relation to the proposed Pan Am/Tiger-Cat Stadium on the CP Rail Lands:

Pros -western entranceway into Hamilton is more attractive than eastern entranceway; -readily accessible from Highway 403 and Highway 6; -CP lands are not part of the 20 year McMaster Innovation Park Master Plan; -although stadium location is not downtown, it is closer to downtown than east mountain site; -Tiger-Cats get everything they have demanded (i.e. highway access, large parking lot, no west harbour stadium, operating agreement re new stadium) and will therefore stay in Hamilton; - if stadium and parking lots are built on west half of CP lands, less impact on MIP, residential neighbourhoods and Chedoke Golf Course.

Cons -expensive acquisition cost of 51 acres of the CP land; -expensive CP rail yard relocation cost; -uncertainty of where to relocate CP rail yard; -stadium on CP lands may stunt potential growth of MIP during years twenty through fifty; -stadium location too far from downtown to directly benefit the downtown thus not does not meet all of the Future Fund objectives; -money spent on CP lands and stadium will leave little or no money to develop west harbour brownfield site; -Pan Am venues will be scattered (indoor volleyball at Copps Coliseum, velodrome at west harbour or at Olympic Park in Dundas, soccer at CP Rail Lands stadium site) -still only a 15,000 seat stadium; -no indication yet of any direct private investment from Bob Young or Osmington Inc. to increase stadium size; -city looking to federal and provincial governments to share $50 Million cost of increasing stadium size to approximately 25,000 seats; -report makes no mention of any city negotiations with Canadian Soccer Association to become a Pan Am legacy tenant.

Comment edited by RenaissanceWatcher on 2010-09-13 19:46:27