I think that Young pays a certain price that enables him to run the Ti Cats out of the stadium and keep the profits from all CFL events and an additional fee for a NASL team. This gives both those teams priority over everything else. Do not know the exacts
The stadium is owned by the city and Young pays 1.2 million rent. Looks like the selling of the naming rights to Tim Hortons (originally granted to Young) will cover the cost of the rent.
Is there also a deal in place that if Young should place a NASL franchise at the stadium that would be 600K in rent for the soccer team?
Tks to Lennywasout at ticats.ca for headsup Tim Hortons Field Construction Update Ticats TV was on site for our first monthly construction update on Tim Hortons Field November 06, 2013
Hamilton Mayor Vows New CFL Stadium Will Be Done On Time The Canadian Press 11/14/2013 HAMILTON, Ont. -- Hamilton's new stadium isn't quite half finished with just seven months before it's scheduled to open, but Pan Am Games CEO Ian Troop and Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina vow it will be done on time and on budget. "You bet," Troop told reporters Thursday during a tour of the construction site. "We're right on track." The CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats are slated to move into the $145.7-million state-of-the-art facility on June 30, 2014. "We started it with that in mind and we're right on track," said Troop, who heads up the organizing committee for the 2015 Pan Am Games. The stadium, which will host all 32 men's and women's soccer games at the Pan Ams, is being built on a 5.45-hectare parcel of land where the historic Ivor Wynne Stadium once stood. Bratina said if there are things that aren't completed by June, they will be minor and won't threaten the scheduled opening. "There may be some washrooms that need painting or something like that," Bratina said. "With several months to go and assurances from contractors we're looking good, I'm sure it will be minor cosmetics that may be left over. "But certainly I think by the end of June we'll be playing football and soccer in this stadium." Hamilton will want to avoid the issues Winnipeg had with its new stadium, which was scheduled to open for the 2012 CFL season but didn't see any football until 2013 due to construction delays. The Pam Am Games organizing committee says the stadium is more than 46 per cent complete and "progressing on time and on budget." The structural steel frame is roughly 96 per cent done while more than 80 per cent of the high voltage electrical work has been finished. The committee says pre-cast concrete installation (over structural steel frame ) is 22 per cent done, more than half of the underground mechanical and electrical work is complete, masonry block installation on the west and south sides has begun, steel decks for pedestrian areas are more than 90 per cent finished and foundation work is also complete. Pre-cast concrete will be complete early in the new year, the organizing committee said, while seating and turf installation will happen in the spring. The stadium will feature two tiers of seats on both sides of the field with an initial seating capacity of 22,500. But that could expand to 40,000 seats for major events like the Grey Cup. It will meet all the technical requirements of both the CFL and FIFA, soccer's governing body. The new field has shifted 90 degrees to a north-south axis from Ivor Wynne's east-west format. The move is designed to minimize the effect of the sun on athletes and reduce wind inside the facility. "You think in terms of the old Ivor Wynne and you come here and start realizing what's being built here is quite an impressive facility," Troop said. "You can see the size and height and the nature of what's going to be here and your mind quickly wanders to what it's going to be like when you've got the championship soccer games during the Pan Am Games." It will have a seating capacity of roughly 24,000 for Ticats home games and also feature 700 club seats, 400 group sales suites seats, 30 VIP suites, six elevators, larger seats, updated press and broadcasting facilities and concession stands on all levels. The stadium will be able to host professional and amateur sports competitions as well as cultural events. There will also be a public plaza in the south end. The federal government is footing $69.3 million of the bill. The city of Hamilton is paying $54.1 million with the province chipping in the remaining $22.3 million. Bratina understands people doubting the project will finish on time and on budget but said he's sensing a shift in public sentiment regarding the stadium. "Overriding that is actual pride in the building," he said. "I'm hearing less concern and more, 'Wow.' The stadium is located in a residential section of the city but Bratina says it's a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. "The neighbours are all excited about it and some of them are even saying their property values have gone up so there's another conversation going on I don't think it's as strongly oriented towards budgeting and time," he said.
What looks great about from an NASL soccer standpoint is the set up ov the lower and upper levels. On the main side with the suites etc. the lower level seating looks perfect to make a great atmosphere with sections opened for seating from end line to end line with the suites and club boxes just over top. The oppsosite side is set up as well for just a lower level opening. Seats close to the playing field on both sidelines. With the Indy eleven looking like it will have 7K season ticket holders in a 12K capacity stadium if Hamilton can come up with similar figures a crowd of 10K would create a great atmosphere. The same appears to be in Ottawa as well with the main side. The opposite side seating also will be close to the field. Both stadiums designs appear to have the different capacities in mind
CIBC Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium (Video) Sport investment project on track, in preparation of 2015 Games
Tim Hortons Field Update Video - December 13 Site Supervisor Gareth Barkey provides an update on the construction of Tim Hortons Field, highlighting local structural steel contractor Walters Inc.
I have not seen anything official on the USL Site or TFC site about the Lynx becoming TFCs USL Pro affiliate. Is this a done deal or are they waiting to see if they can acquire THF as their home pitch before they put anything into action?
Yes, but these things are never zero-sum-gain. Far from it. They are purposely layered to counter the mathematical equation you speak about. Young will be have a holding company or a shell company own the entity. This is for insurance and asset protection (read - if team goes bankrupt Young won't lose his house) reasons. Each team will have a budget, costs and expenses, each team will be compartmentalized from the other and done to maximize profits and minimize loses + taxes.
Hamilton Sports & Entertainment group?? Does he partner with Bulldogs AHL owner? Streamline the whole Hamilton Sports operations??
Word here is that TFC is partnering with Wilmington at its USLPro affiliate: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?5180-A-hammerhead-alert If true, it means no USLPro in Hamilton which, hopefully, means yes to NASL in Hamilton sooner rather than later.
Yup it seems like it is a go. The current USL Pro franchises are starting to fill up with MLS affiliates. In an Atricle from SB Nation and Duane Rollins. It looks like it will be a one year deal for now while they continue to try to get a team in place in the Golden Horseshoe. Does TFC still have a U23 side? If not is there any news in affiliating themsevles with the Lynx on the PDL level for its Academy players who have gone off to University?
I was not aware that TFC ever had an U23....they have their academy teams that play at various age levels if that is what you mean. There has also been an ongoing effort by MLS to have a reserve league set up.....perhaps with the advent of MLS teams affiliating with USL Pro teams the outcome will be the end of the reserve league (which was, to be fair, a bit hap hazard and often saw matches postponed and played at bizarre times and things like players playing in two matches on the same day {ie. player X comes on as a 65th minute substitute in the league match and then goes out and plays 90 minutes in a reserve match an hour later}).
I had thought that TFC had a U23 or U21 team maybe one time playing in the CSL, maybe it was there U18 team. As for the demise of the reserve teams that is where this is heading with the USL pro affiliates. The Current teams do not have reserve teams that are affiliated with the USL Pro. I beleive this includes TFC as of now. SOme clubs like the Galaxy have talked about keeping reserve teams and placing them in the USL PRO. Either way I like where it is headed and it is moving very quickly. MLS clubs with USL Pro Affiliates. MLS clubs placing U23 academy teams in PDL and clubs like the Union having USL Pro affiliate as well as a PDL affiliate where their former academy players who are in college can still play with a side that is affiliated with their top club. I think that the importance of clubs having a PDL affiliate or their U23 acedemy team playing in the PDL may be overlooked a bit but looks like it is changing quickly. I am sure that clubs who have top Acaemy players playing in college would like them back with their organization for the summer keeping their connection
In keeping close tabs on the CFL Hamilton Ti Cats and THF and owner Bob Young an NASL team is likley to come but right now the priority is the CFL and his Ti Cats. Once all that is settled in and season tickets sold, corporate suites sold, along with more corporate sponsor money coming in with naming rights to things and prime advertising areas at THF the Ti Cats are expecting to be much more comfrtable in the profit margin bein in the plus on a regular basis. Post WWC in 2015 is the goal for discussions for an NASL team and getting its Academy and affiliates in place. Hamilton FC Rage have been moved to Waterloo to become K-W united FC. The Hamilton NASL club may look to affiliate with the former Rage. The other PDL Clubs in the Region are Toronto Lynx, Which TFC is currently still working on an affiliation, and Forest City London. Both London and Kitchner-Waterloo are two areasin which the Tiger Cats are looking to expand their Regional Fan base so this could tigh right in. So right now there is no soccer in Hamilton at the over 18 level unless Ontario1 league were to place a franchise there
I'd rather see NASL in Hamilton than a TFC-affiliated USLPro team. For one, the level of soccer is higher in NASL than in USLPro. Second, it means another team since TFC is apparently affiliating with a different USLPro team. So we end up with more places to develop Canadian talent. Third, Hamilton is too big a city to squander on an Academy team. We only have nine cities in Canada with populations of 750 000 or greater. We can't afford to use one up on an affiliate team. Finally, I think the team would be much better supported as a stand-alone NASL side. Hamilton is too close to Toronto. If a person is a fan of TFC they're going to drive the extra half hour to watch the actual TFC team, not stay in Hamilton to watch a TFC Academy team. A Hamilton NASL team, however, will draw its own fans.
Agree on the NASL over USL for Hamilton....but if Canada has 9 cities over 3/4 million people, Hamilton is not one of them (last Census had the expanded city of Hamilton at 519k and CMA {which brings in Burlington and others) of 721k making it the 9th largest CMA in Canada......Hamilton as a city is actually the 10th largest in Canada) I would actually like to see the CSA working with investors/clubs to see if we can't get to the point where there might be an 8 - 10 team "Canadian Division" within the NASL....long way off, lotsa work to do, but building a Canadian division within a league might be the closest we get to a full fledged league of our own.
Exactly why Hamilton rejected TFCs offer to bring the Lynx in as its USL Pro affiliate. Hamiotn could have charged a nice bit of rent and MLSE would have pasid it but Hamilton wants its own team and the CSA wants another NASL team for sure.