I don't think the city needs to build the 67's a new arena, just because Hunt doesn't want to play in Kanata. He will have to move the 67's somewhere whatever happens. Suppose Lansdowne Live is approved in September, I can't see the Civic Centre being available for business during all of the construction/renovations. I would expect they will need to play elsewhere for 1-2 seasons. I agree they will lose some of their walk-up fans at Lansdowne, but they may gain others who find it easier to go to Kanata. Parking is whatever Melnyk wants to charge, there is no reason why it couldn't be $5 for 67's games.
it would be irresponsible of the city not to take care of the 67's first. The have been around for over 40 years and generally successful. It is a more important entity than an MLS team or CFL team. Plus the city has a legal obligation.
Good point - they mentioned that the City has a lease with the 67's until 2012. If Lansdowne Live succeeds, I imagine that they will play at SBP until it gets rebuilt. I cannot see Melnyk saying no - business is business! Nothing I have read today in either paper changes my mind that the City will not fund a stadium on their own. Even Leeder has admitted it looks bleak for us. We need a federal White Knight to come riding in....
I think you are right. I sent an e-mail to John Baird this morning: Mr. Baird, On Feb 27 of this year CTV stated “Transportation and Infrastructure Minister John Baird says there's federal money to build a new sports stadium in Ottawa; the city just needs to ask for the funding.” During yesterday’s city council meeting, the impression was given that there was no federal money available for a new stadium, without taking money away from other programs. Obviously there is no pot of money labeled “Ottawa’s New Stadium”, but the federal government presumably intend that the economic stimulus package money is to do more than was originally going to be done. For this reason, I think the proposed MLS stadium in Kanata would be an ideal candidate for this money, and would be shovel-ready years before final decisions on transit are made in Ottawa. As the federal government apparently contributed $45M to BMO Field in Toronto at a time when there was no stimulus package in play, I must assume that they would be willing to contribute $33M to a similar stadium in the nation’s capital, out of the massive new infrastructure spending recently announced. Am I wrong? Regards,
Kelly Egan in today's Citizen, pointing out that neither SSE or OSEG are happy with the way things are going with council, and at least suggesting the possibility that they may walk away if the council decides to keep both bids in play until September. Probably posturing, but... http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/Culture+shock+fill+stadium/1475703/story.html We are on the brink of the worst-case scenario: The Greenberg group pulls out, leaving us with no conditional CFL team, no private-sector partner for Lansdowne, a city penniless and without a plan; the Melnyk group pulls out, leaving the Ottawa Senators owner in a bad mood, maybe even looking for greener pastures.
Uh... Kelly... He OWNS Scotiabank Place and the parking lots. Unless he can fit those on the back of a moving van, the profitable Sens aren't going anywhere.
No i can't see melnyk moving the team the fan base here is strong.Aslo he does own the sbp and the land around it.What i hope and think may happen is hunt and melynk will team up and build a complex in kanata.
Good suggestions from Randal Denley in today's Citizen: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/Lansdowne+Kanata+have+both/1479918/story.html
Reply from Dalton McGuinty's Office: Thanks for your online message regarding the application for an MLS team in Ottawa. I'm always interested in hearing about the things that matter most to Ontarians. As you know, our government successfully partnered with Toronto FC, the federal government and the City of Toronto to build BMO Field. Our government has started talks with our partners in both the federal and municipal governments regarding the possibility of an MLS team in Ottawa, and looks forward to the City of Ottawa's decision on a new stadium. You may also wish to write directly to the City of Ottawa regarding your concerns, and I've provided a link to the city's website: http://city.ottawa.on.ca/. Thanks again for contacting me. Your input is always welcome. Dalton McGuinty Premier of Ontario
Randall is in fantasy land. The truth of the matter is the MLS stadium bid is dead. Too much money has to go into Lansdowne, regardless of any other decision, especially when MLS has not made a commitment to Ottawa.
Discounted Payback Period Cash Flow Profitability Index There are various ways to look at it, percent return over 10 yrs on initial investment, quickest one to be paid back fully, benefit to cost ratio (hard to deduce though as much what is a cost or not for a public project since public spending is a benefit.....) There are plenty of economic ways to determine and I'm sure they have them. No one just lists which is cheaper unless they don't have an unlimited source of funding, in which case they have no choice but to go for the cheaper. Its pretty clear they don't have the money for both so they probably want the cheaper option.
The probleam is the city will have to make a choice.If they reject landsdown live ok do something with landsdown.
Maybe this could be a reason. Perhaps the Lansdowne stadium is now unusable and has to be demolished. If so then it would make sense to go ahead with the Kanata MLS soccer stadium and if necessary require it to be designed so that in future CFL football could also be played there. See the Ottaa Citizen website at:- http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports...ansdowne+stadium+proposals/1482154/story.html
People act like Eugene Melnyk has a team in hand. If they city has to commit $100M to build the SSS and then spend an additional $65M on a junior rink or $30M on fixing the Civic Centre, there better be a guarantee that there will be an MLS franchise. But Don Garber has explicitly said it is not guaranteed that if the stadium is approved then there will be a team. The obligations to junior hockey make it impossible for anything to happen in Kanata. No one on council has championed the Kanata proposal, however the mayor and Peter Hume are pushing very hard for Lansdowne.
First, the city won't have to commit $100M to build the SSS. There is infrastructure money available that should reduce to city's portion to $20-30M. Second, there is $3.8M/yr x 30 years = $114M - $15M (to demolish Lansdowne) = $99M available to fund something, maybe for the 67's. Third, any stadium deal would be conditional on getting a franchise within a fixed period of time. Fourth, although the councilors that support Kanata have been quieter than some of the others, there are a good number who have expressed a preference for Kanata in recent weeks, including Shad Qadri, Marianne Wilkinson and Peggy Feltmate to my knowledge. Of course, how they vote is anybody's guess, but I don't see that city report changing anybody's mind into thinking that Lansdowne Live was a good idea. Fifth, even if Lansdowne Live was approved, the 67's will likely have to play one or two seasons somewhere else, probably Scotiabank Place. If they can do that, the argument that they must play at the Civic Centre is negated. Finally, it is far from impossible for anything to happen in Kanata.
I haven't heard Peter Hume talking about LL. The design competition was a joint venture between him and Clive Doucet, so it would surprise me to hear that he is supporting LL. “In light of the costs associated with both proposals, Council needs to determine if investing in the construction or reconstruction of a new stadium is a priority for this city and this Council at this time, “ said Councillor Peter Hume, Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee. “Now that we have this evaluation in front of us, it’s time for us to consider whether either of these proposals are consistent with Council’s and our residents’ long-term vision for Ottawa.” That quote seems very fence sitting... I think the following will vote for LL - O'Brien, Monette, Hunter, Thompson I think the following will vote for Kanata - Feltmate, Wilkinson, Qadri, Chiarelli I think the following will vote for neither - Doucet, Cullen, Hume, Holmes, Bedard, Leadman I realise that leaves off a few, but that is just my sense. The suburb/rural bloc that dominates council will split, and the urban bloc will carry the day with a no to everything vote. Just a hunch.
Peter Hume may not be fence sitting any more: Councillor Peter Hume said such a plan would allow the city to make a clear offer to Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who wants a Major League Soccer franchise, Melnyk's group favours the plan, CTV has also learned. This came from CTV just now http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090409/OTT_stadium_090409/20090409/?hub=OttawaHome Randal Denley also told me tonight that support is building for his proposal amongst council, so keep telling them that we want MLS in Ottawa. We are going to win this one yet.
This is interesting too: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/09/ot-090409-kanata-west.html Kanata West is the land that immediately surrounds SBP. It is designed, allegedly, using new urbanist techniques. Melnyk's plan would fit in with that (not the stadium so much as the office space and the retail).
Richard Starnes in today's Citizen: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/Majority+still+silent+stadium+debate/1487390/story.html Come on Ottawa soccer fans - make your voice heard in the next week, and go to the council meeting on April 20. Show your support!