[CCF]

Apparently Ottawa has been granted a conditional expansion franchise.

Can anyone confirm?

[Mille Sabords]

Apparently Ottawa has been granted a conditional expansion franchise.

Can anyone confirm?

You guys in Saskatchewan know more than us here in Ottawa. I don't really follow the CFL since we don't have a team. I'd be surprised if it's true though, we're about to tear down a good chunk of the only stadium where they could play and we don't yet know how and when we're going to rebuild it and under which funding formula. There is supposed to be an international design competition to redevelop all of Lansdowne Park, but the local group who is spearheading Ottawa's CFL bid has come up with a plan of their own and is making their ownership of the team rest on their real estate plan.

[O-Town Hockey]

It's so frustrating how people in Ottawa resist change just for the sake of resisting change. A survey released last week showed that 90% of those questioned stated that they would be completely against Lansdowne moving into private hands. How many of those people actually use Lansdowne Park? What is there to do other than using the sports arena and football stadium which would be better off privately-owned than being run by our cash-strapped city. The park needs to be redone and if it takes a private owner to do so then so be it! I actually really liked many of the aspects of the proposed plan....especially extending some of the waterway from the canal into the park. No one likes a park without a little water. I'm starting to think our city is going down the tubes at the hands of mettling residents who are determined to keep Ottawa in its pre-WWII form for no reason other than nostalgia. Gone are the days that Ottawa is a big city with a small town feel; we are a big city period.

[Danman]

Now lets stop beatting a dead horse when it comes to the CFL in Ottawa.
Its been proven repeatedly that a franchise just cant survive in Ottawa

[CCF]

Well like I said, expect an announcement in the near future. At least that's what I've been hearing. Bad ownership has hurt the CFL in Ottawa, maybe the new guys can make it look like they did the OHL. I don't understand why the CFL can't work in Ottawa. It's a shame that our own Capital city doesn't have a team.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

:previous: Hey, who knows? Maybe third time is the charm? ;)

[harls]

http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Football/2008/03/19/5047156.html

Ottawa back in CFL Hunt

67's owner reportedly close to deal for expansion football franchise

By The Canadian Press


The CFL is close to completing a deal that would award a conditional expansion franchise to a group led by Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt, a report says.

The intention would be to have the team begin play in 2010, according to The Globe and Mail.

The deal, which has been in the works for months, was close to completion in recent days and the league had hoped to make an announcement in Ottawa this week

However, that plan was put off when the sides decided they needed more time to complete some details in a letter of intent for the CFL’s ninth franchise to be bought by Hunt and his partners, local developers Roger Greenberg, John Ruddy and William Shenkman.

The deal would be contingent on Hunt’s group securing an arrangement to utilize Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park, a complex slated for redevelopment after the southside stands were condemned last fall.

“We are in the middle of a confidential process and I can’t comment,” Hunt told The Globe.

While Hunt and the CFL still have some work to do, the major hurdles have been overcome and both sides are apparently confident the final details can be ironed out

[jeremy_haak]

Well, they've certainly managed the 67s well, and they are already based out of Lansdowne Park. I'm curious to find out what that means for the redevelopment plans. Perhaps they'll just rebuild the lower tier of the south stands.

[O-Town Hockey]

At the same time that they redevelop the Southside stands I really hope that they build a few large parking structures in the interior of the park (i.e. away from the canal and Bank St.). That will make it much easier to redevelop the rest of the park when the time comes. It would be great if the new South stands were lower and wrapped around the endzones to make up for the losses in capacity (much like BMO Field).

http://web.mlsnet.com/t280/imgs/stadium/2006/north_rendering.jpg

I imagine having the stands at the far end of the rendering backing onto Bank Street, underneath which would be stores and restaurants facing out onto the street. There would be plenty of room for a large (decent-looking) 5 storey parking structure in behind the video screen and that would leave then entire Queen Elizabeth side of the park and the area around the Aberdeen Pavillion open for development (I don't call it redevelopment since I don't consider a pothole-ladened parking lot developed).

[Mille Sabords]

Wicked news. Bring back CFL ball.

[DHLawrence]

There's a tentative deal to bring the CFL to Ottawa; one of the conditions is the rebuilding of at least part of the stadium:

From the Ottawa Citizen (http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=05233fd4-a6e7-4a66-bc3c-da66c7eb77b8&k=4098)

[bradnixon]

The CFL coming back is good news... BUT...

Doesn't this sort of circumvent the Lansdowne design competition? It seems like these guys will only bring a franchise if they win the rights to develop Lansdowne. What happens if some other group wins the competition? Will they still bring the team? Or is it all or nothing?

[DC83]

Congrats, guys! I'm very excited to hear this news and can't wait to start playing you guys again! If you guys need a win, the Ti-Cats are always here for ya ;)