Pan American Stadium | 40m | ? | Under Construction - Page 186

realcity · #**3701** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:44 PM**

Why the hate for PanAm.? It's going to be awesome and well viewed. The athletes you will be watching in London in a few weeks will be the same athletes (the one's from the Western Hemisphere) that will be competing here. The same gymnasts, the same track and field, the same volleyball almost that is the same, 3 years is forever in an elite athletes life but if not watch them perform in Rio the following year at the Olympics.

These are first class athletes. The stadium will be awesome, the games will be a success. O I get it, still bitter because the stadium isn't getting built in the ridiculous spot that you wanted. Glad I don't have to work or be married to any of you. It's done, but now you want PanAm and the stadium to suck because you didn't get your location.

Just think if Brazil wins the Fifa World Cup in 2014 (they are hosting it) it will be 90% the exact same team competing here in Hamilton the next summer. We could be hosting the World Cup champs or close to it, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and USA. If you can't get excited over that, then don't come to our stadium. It's going to be awesome. Too bad for the haters.

realcity · #**3702** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:47 PM**

As for traffic surrounding a stadium on game day. Every city in the world experiences this, it's just something everyone deals with. Ever tried to leave TO after a Rapters, Leafs or Jays game? Sometimes two of those teams will be playing the same evening. Piss and moan, learn the schedules, pay attention to sports and you would enjoy it.

realcity · #**3703** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:55 PM**

As for parking on lawns? How many of you have been to a TiCat game in the last decade?? There is barely (actually non that I see) anymore of that. There is plenty of 5$ parking all off Barton in the malls and industry. For a 6 minute walk to the stadium, parking is not an issue. If you can walk 10 minutes then you're golden, tons of street parking. This complaint is from the same WH supporters who think a 25 minute walk from Gore Park to Barton/Tiffany is acceptable. ? Yes it is 25 minutes from King/James to WH, it's a fricken hike, but let's still call it downtown and for that matter call it waterfront too, when it's not on the water but separated by a rail yard then a man-made (Bayfront) Parkland before you get to anything that could resemble water.

All in the name of getting nice B-roll of the stadium. Please, have you guys ever watched a fricken CFL game? The b-roll is of the fans and the inside the stadium. Nothing is stopping TSN to go and shoot nice b-roll at the waterfront anyway if they wanted, but that's not the point. The view is, and most importantly what's being seen on the field. TSN is not a nature channel to show pleasant parks and trees and swans in water... it's about football, always has been. That's something the WH supporters never understood. It's about sports. If TH Hamilton wants to put out a video on our urban nature than go ahead, it's not up to TSN to promote Hamilton as a tourist hotspot. I like the industrial scenery, It's something that you don't see in any other city. Actually I hope they show our firey smoke stacks in the B-roll, tell the country Hamilton is proud of making stuff.

Berklon · #**3704** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

These are first class athletes. The stadium will be awesome, the games will be a success. O I get it, still bitter because the stadium isn't getting built in the ridiculous spot that you wanted. Glad I don't have to work or be married to any of you. It's done, but now you want PanAm and the stadium to suck because you didn't get your location.

Wow, you're unbelievably annoying.

Anywhere downtown is better than the dump it's currently in. Enough said.

Pan-Am games? I work in Toronto and no-one I've talked to gives a flying f*ck about these games. These are Torontonians and they don't care. Outside of the athletes and their families, no-one cares. NOBODY.

The whole thing is embarrassing... and so are your posts.

mattgrande · #**3705** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

It's done, but now you want PanAm and the stadium to suck because you didn't get your location.

I don't think you're describing anyone here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

Just think if Brazil wins the Fifa World Cup in 2014 (they are hosting it) it will be 90% the exact same team competing here in Hamilton the next summer. We could be hosting the World Cup champs or close to it, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and USA. If you can't get excited over that, then don't come to our stadium. It's going to be awesome. Too bad for the haters.

I am excited about that. I do hope that the stadium looks nice. That doesn't change the fact that they've chosen the worst location that was looked at with almost no consultation or input from anyone.

I was a West Harbour supporter, but I understood the arguments behind the East Mountain location. Close to highways, access to parking, spin off developments, of course the Cats want that. But this location is further from the highway than the West Harbour. There will be very little parking there. There's basically no space for new businesses. We won't be able to hold concerts. We're losing Brian Timmis Field, the baseball diamonds, & (I believe) Jimmy Thompson pool. It's a terrible fucking location for a stadium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

As for parking on lawns? How many of you have been to a TiCat game in the last decade?? There is barely (actually non that I see) anymore of that.

I've been to two games: The preseason, and the home opener. I saw it at both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

This complaint is from the same WH supporters who think a 25 minute walk from Gore Park to Barton/Tiffany is acceptable. ? Yes it is 25 minutes from King/James to WH, it's a fricken hike

It's like 15, tops. And even still, what does that matter? It's a 45 minute walk from King & Games to Ivor Wynne.

realcity · #**3706** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 5:01 PM**

Berklon. No one cares? Maybe because the Games are 3 years away???? Just wait for the band wagoners, 3 months before, the Games will be huge. The same went for the Road Races in 2003. Sorry, but I know you want the Games to fail for some reason.

Ivor Wynne is a dump? It's a typical dense urban neighbourhood represented by working class citizens. But WH isn't a toxic wasteland that everyone wants to develop in.? WH is toxic wasteland swamp... and will remain undeveloped for generations. Don't even touch the water, let alone use it for recreational uses.

And yet Ottawa St, Gage Park and Ivor Wynne new stadium are transforming the area, and so-called Hamilton supporters want it all to fail. "Wah, I want it in my Locke neighbourhood". "So I can have my property value increase and hopefully make enough to buy back into Toronto"> go cry over an organic brewed beer loser.

Matte I live there, and don't see the lawn parking, I suspected some people still do it, but most people now care about their lawns... it might not even be game day parking, the houses that do that, do it everyday, because the lack of parking on any given day.

I will do a study with a video. I did it once and didn't record it, just for my own purpose during the debates. To get from King/James to Barton/Tiffany is at least a 25 minute walk. And that;s not to say there is any parking in the Gore area, that's just assuming you were coming from hotels in the core if there was any. Try the walk, I will and I will tape it on a stop watch to prove it. Not to mention it is a horrible walk along Bay Street. It felt like walking in Bagdad it was that pleasant.

Further, I will walk from K/J to Ivor Wynne... that will be about 45 mintues I'm guessing. We're splitting hairs over a 20 minute walk distance. But keep in mind there traffic and transit flow mostly runs east/west in this city. What bus would I take to WH from Gore? How many choices of busses can I take from Gore to go east, Wilson, Main, Barton? I don;t know, but if we ever get an LRT it will be connecting East and West Hamilton. Not the WH... unless they ramp up a Barton transit again. It was once the busiest stretches in the city. Barton transit was on rails.

markbarbera · #**3707** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 5:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

But this location is further from the highway than the West Harbour.

Actually, in a way, it is closer to highway access (the Burlington Street overpass for all intents and purposes is a highway access point not unlike the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto). Granted, it is not as close as the Ticats wanted as they were looking for direct highway access, but it is still better access than what would have been offered at Barton/Tiffany.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

There will be very little parking there.

From what I understand, parking will be at least the equivalent as to what was available at the failed WH location.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

There's basically no space for new businesses.

There is a unique opportunity to redevelop the moribound Barton Street commercial area in the northern part of the stadium precinct, as well as along King Street at the soutern end of the precinct. I don't know when you last travelled along Barton between Ottawa and Sherman, but there is certainly lots of opportunity to redevelop empty/abandoned businesses along this stretch. Heck, there may even be an opportunity to redevelop the old Consumers Glass property as part of the new stadium precinct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

We won't be able to hold concerts.

Of course we can. The only thing keeping concerts out right now is the fact that IWS is not up to code to host concerts. There was going to be a Faith Hill/Tim Mcgraw concert there in 2008 but it was nixed because it would be too expensive to bring IWS up to code. The new stadium will be designed to be fully up to code for both sport and entertainment events.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

We're losing Brian Timmis Field, the baseball diamonds, & (I believe) Jimmy Thompson pool. It's a terrible fucking location for a stadium.

Brain Timmis is the only thing being lost, and a new site for a comparable field in Ward three is being reviewed (Timmis was also well overdue for an upgrade and if I remember correctly the cost of a replacement field will be covered by Ticats). There are no plans thus far for anything south of Cannon to be removed, so the ball diamonds and the pool are not affected. Once we see the precinct plan come September, we'll know better. If they end up being removed I have absolutely no problem with that if they are being replaced somewhere else in Ward 3 in the same manner as Brian Timmis is being replaced.

IMHO there are plenty of opportunities to make the new IWS Stadium precinct work exceptionally well, but the bitter division caused through the protracted stadium location debate has enbittered some so much that they now simply refuse to acknowledge the opportunity to redefine and re-energize a community that is in desperate need of rejuvination.

mattgrande · #**3708** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 6:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

There is a unique opportunity to redevelop the moribound Barton Street commercial area in the northern part of the stadium precinct, as well as along King Street at the soutern end of the precinct. I don't know when you last travelled along Barton between Ottawa and Sherman, but there is certainly lots of opportunity to redevelop empty/abandoned businesses along this stretch. Heck, there may even be an opportunity to redevelop the old Consumers Glass property as part of the new stadium precinct.

Yeah, I suppose you're right. I should've said "I'd be awfully surprised if there's much new business." I hope I'm wrong on this count, but I'm not optimistic.

I was under the impression that concerts weren't allowed due to noise issues. The Hill/McGraw concert is news to me.

bigguy1231 · #**3709** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

Yeah, I suppose you're right. I should've said "I'd be awfully surprised if there's much new business." I hope I'm wrong on this count, but I'm not optimistic.

I was under the impression that concerts weren't allowed due to noise issues. The Hill/McGraw concert is news to me.

Barton St. will not be revived. There's been a stadium there for 80 years and what do we have right now. So you are right there won't be any new businesses.

As for the concert issue, they can have concerts but what are they going to book into a 22,000 seat stadium. Certainly not anyone that would be good enough to sell the place out. Big acts go to big stadiums not minor league stadiums like this. There's no money to be made.

markbarbera · #**3710** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 11:03 PM**

While a stadium has been here for 80 years, there has never been even the slightest attempt to leverage the stadium to benefit the commercial area around it. Now, for the first time ever, the area has a planning strategy based on a sports and entertainment district. The plan is under tight wraps until the stadium contract is awarded.

Come September 23rd we'll know what the stadium will look stand what is planned for the precinct as a whole. I have a gut feeling that we' going to see the seat count come in at a different total than what is currently being cited.

As far as concerts go, mega-outdoor stadium concerts are more the exception to the rule these days. I wouldn't expect more than 2 or 3 concerts during the summer months, if that. Having said that, the size of the stadium is not going to exclude it from being a concert venue, and let's not forget a concert will have additional attendance capacity on the field in addition to the permanent seats in the stands.

bigguy1231 · #**3711** Posted: **Jul 10, 2012, 6:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

While a stadium has been here for 80 years, there has never been even the slightest attempt to leverage the stadium to benefit the commercial area around it. Now, for the first time ever, the area has a planning strategy based on a sports and entertainment district. The plan is under tight wraps until the stadium contract is awarded.

Come September 23rd we'll know what the stadium will look stand what is planned for the precinct as a whole. I have a gut feeling that we' going to see the seat count come in at a different total than what is currently being cited.

As far as concerts go, mega-outdoor stadium concerts are more the exception to the rule these days. I wouldn't expect more than 2 or 3 concerts during the summer months, if that. Having said that, the size of the stadium is not going to exclude it from being a concert venue, and let's not forget a concert will have additional attendance capacity on the field in addition to the permanent seats in the stands.

Your dreaming.

They can make all the plans they want, if people with money don't want to spend it there then there will be no development.

As for the concerts. the promoters won't even look at the place, unless the city subsidizes them which won't happen.

mattgrande · #**3712** Posted: **Jul 10, 2012, 3:46 PM**

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...ourhood-revamp

Quote:

Cannon Street closure floated for stadium neighbourhood revamp

The city should close part of Cannon Street to create a walkable “civic space” in front of a rebuilt Ivor Wynne stadium, says a new consultant’s report.

...

Other major suggestions include a seniors’ centre, more green space and the conversion of closing neighbourhood schools into new recreational facilities.

Frankenrogers · #**3713** Posted: **Jul 10, 2012, 5:01 PM**

Its too bad that Hamilton didn't try to leverage the games further to become an amateur sports hub. Get the world class facilities here and once the athletes come to train it could help with the image of Hamilton as a healthy place to be and we could be in a position to host Canadian tryouts/qualifiers for all sorts of sports.

I was in Lake Placid talking with the director of their sports authority a few years ago and they employed over 5,000 people.

Jon Dalton · #**3714** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 1:40 AM**

Does this type of planning ever work? The city is trying to tell businesses where they should go. Business tends to figure that out on its own. We have seen enough with the city's downtown redevelopment efforts over the years to know that it is extremely difficult to manipulate a fragile economy to achieve a predetermined result. There are always unintended consequences.

If copps coliseum with its multiple uses, Jackson square adjacent and the whole civic square series of developments have failed to stimulate enough demand for one lousy bar rigt across the street, what can we expect from a stadium surrounded by residential and strip malls even if we can squeeze out a few marginal uses besides football? I'm with the big guy on this one - it's a pipe dream.

CaptainKirk · #**3715** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 1:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Does this type of planning ever work? The city is trying to tell businesses where they should go. Business tends to figure that out on its own.

Businesses? Did I miss that in the article? I thought this was about the neighbourhood and recreation facilities.

Quote:

If copps coliseum with its multiple uses, Jackson square adjacent and the whole civic square series of developments have failed to stimulate enough demand for one lousy bar rigt across the street

Again, not sure what you're getting at. There are hundreds of bars/restaurants downtown. Way more than any other area of the city. I patronize many of them often.

http://www.downtownhamilton.org/wp-c...rant-Guide.pdf

durandy · #**3716** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 2:14 AM**

I think Jon's referring to the discussion about economic spinoffs from the stadium.

West Harbour was a stupid place for a stadium but a worthy place to spend 45 million dollars of public money. The people that are still upset about this were somehow deluded at some point into thinking that a 45 million subsidy for football wasn't so bad if it was paired with urban renewal. As for the Pan-am games, aren't they just a trial run for the olympics? People just bid on them to improve their chances to get the big games. So if this could lead to that in the GTHA, then it will be money very well spent.

CaptainKirk · #**3717** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 2:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by durandy

West Harbour was a stupid place for a stadium but a worthy place to spend 45 million dollars of public money. The people that are still upset about this were somehow deluded at some point into thinking that a 45 million subsidy for football wasn't so bad if it was paired with urban renewal.

Colour me delusional.:

realcity · #**3718** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 3:33 PM**

Durandy you are exactly correct. The WH people are all for the public investment into a stadium (that they will never go to) as long as it was in their location of choice... Barton/Tiffany.

But put the stadium anywhere else in the City and they don't support it.

realcity · #**3719** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 3:52 PM**

from the ticats site

-------
Tiger-Cats fans,

I am getting very excited for the upcoming 2012 season of Tiger-Cats football and our Final Season in Ivor Wynne! I'm even more excited about the new Hamilton Stadium that will open in 2014, for the 2015 Pan Am Games.

As you would expect we are working diligently on our plan for next year's 2013 season while Hamilton’s new, world-class stadium is being built on the Ivor Wynne site. The central part of this plan has been of course to find a suitable place to play. We have spoken to many Municipalities, and Universities, who have offered to help.

Our preferred solution was to play many of our 2013 home games in Hamilton at McMaster’s Ron Joyce Stadium. Unfortunately, yesterday McMaster University officials concluded they will be unable to accommodate us. This was disappointing to us as our goal was to find a location as convenient to our fans as possible.

The Tiger-Cats remain steadfast in our commitment to keep our home games as close to Hamilton as possible, and fortunately, we have plenty of time to find a positive solution for our fans. We will continue to work on a resolution for next season and will fully communicate our plan once it is finalized in the coming months. We plan to find a solution that will provide our fans with the ability to support their beloved Ticats while putting our team in position for another successful year on the field in 2013.

In the meantime, we are looking forward to the fun and excitement that will come with the upcoming Final Season of Ivor Wynne Stadium presented by Tim Hortons. While last year's team was very good, this year's Hamilton Tiger-Cats are going to be even better!

Oskee-Wee-Wee,

Bob Young
Caretaker
----------

Thanks Bob for taking care of our beloved Cats. Our new stadium will be awesome.

matt602 · #**3720** Posted: **Jul 11, 2012, 5:33 PM**

Thanks, Caretaker. My worries are put to rest. Vive Le Ti-Cats.