Raise the Hammer

I have to say I'm a little perplexed at many of the comments here. Setting aside the really over-the-top and unrelated to anything comments, some seem to suggest that I, and RTH, have taken a cheap shot at the TiCats. Really?

The post directly quotes Mitchell and Young from row Spec article. It doesn't expand, explain, or eviscerate. Admittedly, It does end with a comment about the irony (dramatic for those who need it) of the situation. About how a partner you trusted changes their mind and says no at the last minute. The difference is that in the case of Mac, it won't cost the citizens of Hamilton any money (at least not so far but you never know what the Cats will do next), although there will be lost revenue on the part of some local businesses (bars, restaurants, parking lots). But remember, the Cats were not planning on playing all of their "home" games in Hamilton during the 2013 season in any case. Moncton has been mentioned many times.

In the case of the stadium, it will cost the citizens many tens of millions of dollars, not just in building costs, but also opportunity costs. The IWS site will never amount to much more than it has been for the past 75 years. It can't. It's surrounded by residential. This happened at the last minute when our "partner" changed their mind about where the stadium should be built. We were left scrambling and forced to take nothing or to take third best, or worse, as our location of choice. The Future Fund was nearly emptied to do this.

I'm a Hamilton booster. I put my money, time, and energies doing so. Having said that, I'm not about to overlook the fact that a trusted partner turned their back on us and forced us into a once in a lifetime (not to mention multiple generations) decision on the largest publicly funded building project this city has seen (excluding the RHVP) in decades. That's why dramatic irony seemed appropriate. As is the case with dramatic irony, the audience sees and understands the implications of what is being said but the characters in the play do not.

The stadium deal is done. We all know that. The money will be spent on the stadium, whether you support it or not. Surely, we can be permitted to point out the irony in the situation between Mac and the Cats without being labelled devils or Hamilton haters.