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Old Posted Feb 11, 2010, 12:07 PM
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Chamber likes stadium by lake
Business group backs harbour site for Pan Am facility

February 11, 2010
John Kernaghan
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/720015

The voice of city businesses is trumpeting the west harbour as the best site for the Pan Am Games stadium.

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce will flesh out that position next week as city councillors review an analysis of that site and an airport lands location.

Yesterday's recommendation came a day before a consultant's report on the feasibility of both sites was to be made public.

Chamber president Ruth Liebersbach said the west harbour is compelling for many reasons, including the symbolic aspect of building a signature facility to show the face of the city.

"We don't showcase the waterfront enough, and this will attract people locally and across the country."

Liebersbach said the chamber, which represents more than 2,000 businesses, seemed almost unanimous in backing the site near Bay and Barton streets.

The Pan Am stadium will stage track and field for the 2015 Games and also serve as home of the Tiger-Cats if the football club and private sector can come up with $50 million to add 10,000 seats to the 15,000 required for the Games.

Hamilton chamber CEO John Dolbec said his comments to councillors at the February 18 meeting will focus on how stadium development, in concert with other waterfront development, would help animate the lower city year-round and be a "shot in the arm for badly needed downtown revitalization."

Dolbec said the facility would build on parkland and trail initiatives to foster a dynamic waterfront to serve all Hamiltonians. But the chamber notes land contamination, proximity to a rail yard, parking and access to the stadium are challenges that need to be overcome.

The organization's position on the airport lands is that they would be better used for transportation and logistics companies geared to the airport.
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