Councillor Brenda Johnson wants to make sure that you get the correct facts and lots of them, so the following is good overview of what has been approved.
Ivor Wynne Stadium is the location and demolition & construction will start in 2012 and be completed in 2014.
The total cost for the project is $152.1 million. The funding sources are: 69.1million from Pan Am, 22.5 million from the Province and 60.5 million from the City of Hamilton. (The City’s 60.5 million comes by way of 45 million from Hamilton Future Fund, 6.5million from Hamilton Capital funds and 9 million from naming rights). The total cost of $152.1 million was arrived by using the 90 million the former City Council approved to renovate the stadium, but to bring it up to FIFA standards is 145.7 million plus 4 million to remediate and demolish the existing stadium as well as 2.4 million to replace and re-locate the existing Brian Timmis Stadium.
The new stadium will have seating for 25,000, with 23,500 general seating, 500 club seats, 30 private suites and 250 accessible seating. There will be the ability to add 10,000 temporary seats. These will be seats, no benches. The City will get $4,000 for private suites and 25% for anything over and above that amount.
The Ti-Cat’s have signed use and financial sharing agreements. They will pay $450,000 yearly rent. The City will also receive $750,000 for naming rights (city has final say of the name).
*Ti-cats also pay the city for 50% of outside parking and after 4 years Ti-cats pay an additional 10% of their net gain. (Books are reviewed by city staff on a yearly basis)
There have been 2 letters of credit issued: $1,350,000.00 for the CFL team $450,000.00 for the soccer team. The City gets $100,000.00 in advertising from the ti-cats. T-cats will outfit their own space and upgrade the private boxes as per their agreements.
An Ivor Wynne community fund will be established that will be the base for the revenue from the parking, the 10% of the net gain from the ti-cats and any proceeds which may result from a potential sale of pre-renovation /re-construction of Ivor Wynne Stadium memorabilia.
Timmins Stadium, 2.4 million has been put aside for the re-location and re-building of a new facility. A motion was passed to have staff come back with a feasibility study for a sports field either on the West Harbour site or North Hamilton that will include public input.
Staff projects that the new stadium will see an increase of 300% in community use due to the fact the stadium will now be up to FIFA standards and not just a football stadium. The city of Hamilton still regulates the prices and scheduling for this stadium and it is written in the 20- year agreement with the Ti-cats that community events such as sports will take precedence over their practice needs.
During the Pan Am Games, this stadium will be used for soccer games with medal rounds as well.
Another motion was passed for staff to approach the Federal Gov’t who have been conspicuously absent these past few days to help fund the Velodrome. There is only one other Velodrome that is up to world’s standards and it is located in Los Angeles. Currently there are 118 Canadian Athletes training there for 2 weeks paying for hotel accommodations etc. The thought is that athletes on the eastern side of North America including all of Canada would come to Hamilton to train rather than spend the higher American dollars to go south.
Since the City has obtained land in the Harbour Front with regards to the Stadium, Council also passed a motion to direct staff to study the harbour to locate the Brian Timmis stadium which will bring a positive result. Also it is the hope to locate the velodrome there as well. If for some reason, this site is not picked, then the land will be sold and the monies will return to the Future Fund Account as stated in the motion passed today.
As your Councillor my hope is that the stadium comes under budget and there is enough wiggle room for the velodrome to be completed. I also want to ensure that the budgets don’t affect our budgets to obtain rec programs in Ward 11. I made that my last statement in the council meeting.
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