Raise the Hammer

Read more: http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/01/0...[/i]

...despite the recent assurances from the Ticats, Goldring believes the stadium plan will not be approved by Feb. 1. He said the Ticats are holding out hope another deadline extension can be secured even though Toronto 2015 CEO Ian Troop has repeatedly said Feb. 1 is final.

“I think that’s the assumption. Pan-Am has been pushed before by the city of Hamilton and there is a belief they can be pushed again,” Goldring said. “Although in speaking formally with Ian Troop … the deadline is still Feb. 1, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

“I think the Feb. 1 deadline is absolutely important,” said Mitchell. “But I think there are a number of questions that will be answered by that time particularly in light of the funding possibilities.

“When you look at the criteria Toronto 2015 has asked for by Feb. 1 … I think a number of those could be answered by that date while being respectful of the fact there’s a process Aldershot may have to go through with its constituents to make sure there is a consensus this is a positive thing.”

Burlington council will meet Thursday to consider a motion that calls on city staff to study the stadium plan. Goldring expects the motion will pass.“I think this is potentially a tremendous opportunity for the city of Burlington and the only responsible thing for council to do is have staff do a preliminary investigation,” he said.

Councillor John Taylor, one of seven members of Burlington city council, said he will not support the motion.

“We have nothing in writing from the Ticats and the story changed between our first meeting with them and the second meeting. In the meeting right after Christmas they were going to ask us for capital costs and we were going to operate the stadium and now that is off the table.”

Taylor thinks it is unwise to ignore the Feb. 1 deadline.

“In order for us to pay nothing we need that Pan-Am money ($70-million) and additional provincial-government money. But, all that money is connected to the Feb. 1 deadline and that deadline is committed to the city of Hamilton.”

Councillor Marianne Meed Ward is also skeptical of the Ticats latest offer.

"The Ticats, as far as I know, have no authority to negotiate on behalf of the province or on behalf of Toronto 2015 so saying that there are no capital dollars required is disingenuous,” Meed Ward said. “The Ticats do not control the provincial purse strings so there is still a funding shortfall. The province has not told Burlington that the money is available for us and until they tell us that there is still a potential tax impact on Burlington"“I would say the Burlington staff direction is premature, because Hamilton has not made a final decision yet and they may yet surprise us,” said Meed Ward. “And they may decide they can go ahead with something. I think Burlington would be prudent to let that run its course before we dive in.”

Comment edited by George on 2011-01-05 23:09:15