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Stad. Discussion, TO City Council- October 27 On


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quote:Originally posted by sstackho

There was only one amendment that went against the status quo. I believe it was something about looking into the facility being deemed as a "municipal capital facility" or something. I don't know what it means, or its importance.

Was that the one that went 20-18?

I think that one said that City Legal Counsel would be asked to check the legality of calling this a municipal capital facility.

I suppose that could be a problem if the lawyers say it is, however I suspect that Miller can use his influence on this. Can any of our lawyer members comment on this?

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Canadian Soccer Association

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Exhibition Place Stadium Proposal Approved

Photo: Brisbin Brook Beynon, Architects

Ottawa, Ontario - The Canadian Soccer Association and its partners - Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Ontario and Federal Governments as well as the City of Toronto - have been given the approval of Toronto City’s Council to construct a 20,000 seat soccer-specific stadium on the grounds of Exhibition Place.

City council voted 25 to 13 in favour of the stadium project.

'I applaud the council for acting in the best interest of the City of Toronto, for a wide variety of community groups and all Torontonians in general. The stadium and its construction will create jobs, drive economic development and tourism, and create a larger stage for Toronto to hold international sports and entertainment events. It will also support further growth for soccer in Canada,' said Richard Peddie, President of MLSE.

'We look forward to working with the three levels of government as we prepare for construction of the stadium in early 2006 and while we finalize our franchise agreement with Major League Soccer.'

The $62.8-million stadium is being built specifically for the staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship - Canada 2007 that will kickoff in July 2007 in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria and will be the largest single-sport event ever held in Canada.

The biennial event is second only to the FIFA World Cup™ in size and scope and will showcase the most talented under-20 soccer players in the world. The tournament has been the coming-out party for some of the game’s top players - Maradona, Saviola, Raúl, Marco Van Basten, Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Thierry Henry, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Julian de Guzman, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume.

The facility will also be a regular home for both the Men’s and Women’s National Teams as well as a home for thousands of players in the Greater Toronto Area. The City of Toronto-owned stadium will have an air-filled bubble erected over the playing surface during the winter months, guaranteeing a minimum of 100 days of community usage throughout the year.

The city council vote now paves the way for the stadium be the home of Toronto’s newest professional sports franchise.

Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber announced on October 11, 2005 that Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment had been granted the exclusive rights through October 31, 2005 to negotiate an agreement to acquire the rights to a Major League Soccer expansion team that will commence play in Toronto in 2007.

'Toronto would be an excellent addition to Major League Soccer under the leadership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, one of the preeminent sports and entertainment companies in the world,' Commissioner Garber said. 'We are enthusiastic about bringing an MLS team to Toronto and are prepared to host the 2008 All-Star Game and an MLS Cup in Toronto by 2012.'

Funding for the project will be come from a number of sources.

The Federal Government, through Infrastructure Canada, has agreed to contribute $27-million while the Ontario Government has committed a further $8-million.

MLSE has agreed to pay a total of $18-million ($8-million toward the construction and a further $10-million to secure the naming rights for the stadium). The group has also agreed to provide a $2-million guarantee against operational losses.

The City of Toronto will contribute $9.8-million and will own the stadium. In the agreement struck with the City of Toronto, Exhibition Place, the CSA, and MLSE in mid-October, the sports and entertainment company would be responsible for the management of the facility.

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quote:Originally posted by Dave

I think that one said that City Legal Counsel would be asked to check the legality of calling this a municipal capital facility.

I suppose that could be a problem if the lawyers say it is, however I suspect that Miller can use his influence on this. Can any of our lawyer members comment on this?

I don't have my copy of the Act with me as I type this and I didn't hear the motion in question (I was off-line by that point) but I believe the designation has to do with tax exemption. I don't think it will be anything to worry about in terms of the stadium suddenly getting derailed though.

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quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

I don't have my copy of the Act with me as I type this and I didn't hear the motion in question (I was off-line by that point) but I believe the designation has to do with tax exemption. I don't think it will be anything to worry about in terms of the stadium suddenly getting derailed though.

All I noticed was that Miller and Chow voted against the proposal. And I *think* that was the "municipal capital facility" motion, but I'm not 100% sure.

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quote:Originally posted by Marc

In general, who voted against other than Ford and Mammolitti?

I didn't catch who voted which way, but I kept track of their sentiments as expressed in their speeches, and kept a list of who I thought were "sure no's" and "sure yes's" prior to the vote. Feel free to dream up whatever cheers you want...

"Sure no's"

Del Grande

Lo Preti

Mammoliti

Pittfield

Nunziata

Watson

Ford

"Probable no's"

Milczyn

Kelly

Ootes

"Sure yes's"

Pantalone

Miller

Grimes

Cho

Hall

Di Giorgio

Augimieri

Holyday

Ashton

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I was looking fwd to getting home tonight to get the news. But on my way out I realised that it would probably be quicker just to go to city hall. So I did and sat through a fairly dull 2 and a half hours of posturing and that is what this is, my councillor himself even told this and was surprised to see me there, he pointed at the TV monitor as people were talking and pretty much summed up ( in doing so) what this whole exercise was all about.. There were about 20 persons sitting in the stand including Kevan Pipe and Dave Perkins. BOth were at fairly distant from each other. It was a hour into the session while I had a chance to chat with my coucillor for about 20 minutes and he stated confidently that the motion would pass. I was surprised to here that given the tone I was hearing durring the session. Then some staffer whom I had chatted with on the elevator while I was briefly stepping out told me the same thing.

The best entertainment was from watching the expressions of kevan Pipe. Just being there, you could tell that he was very emotionally involved in this project. On one occasion David Miller went over to huddle with Pipe and a few others. I was dismayed to see Miller then walk over and have a long chat with perkins, I wondered what he could possibly convey to Miller that would have been of any interest to us.

At the end the vote occured amongst the various other motions and I didn't even realize that it was the key vote. All I saw was Perkins and his colleague rush out and Pipe put his hands to his face and received congratutalory handshakes from his enourage. On the his way out he stopped to hug David Miller. BTW. I think that the final vote was 25-12

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

I was dismayed to see Miller then walk over and have a long chat with perkins, I wondered what he could possibly convey to Miller that would have been of anty interest to us.

Maybe Miller went over and used many words to express two important words: Screw You.

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In Affectionate Remembrance of CANADIAN SOCCER, which died at Toronto City Hall on 27th OCTOBER, 2005, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.

N.B. — The body will be cremated and the ashes scattered at sea.

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I hope the CSA and MLSE don't celebrate too much...they got a tight schedule ahead of them. They better start cracking with building this thing (where's my shovel?).

The CP article is out:

Toronto soccer stadium passes final hurdle

TORONTO (CP) - The proposed soccer-specific stadium in Toronto passed its final hurdle Thursday, but not without some opposition.

City council eventually endorsed the stadium plan 25-13 in a vote, agreeing to contribute $9.8 million and land worth $10 million for the 20,000-seat venue near the lakefront at Exhibition Place. The federal government has pledged $27 million to the stadium with another $8 million from the provincial government.

Naming rights are expected to account for another $10 million with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. contributing $8 million.

The $62.8-million stadium is a key component of MLSE's bid for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. It will also play a key role when Canada hosts the 2007 world under-20 soccer championship.

The city approval was fast-tracked after Major League Soccer imposed an Oct. 31 deadline for sorting out the stadium. Some councillors objected to the speed in which the plan was put forward.

"I think it's going to come back and haunt us by the way," said Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti. "It smells."

"We don't need a stadium right now," added Coun. Rob Ford. "It's the last thing we need."

"This is going to backfire. Please do not support this," he said.

Ford suggested the proposed $10 million go to Toronto police instead.

Mayor David Miller spoke in favour of the plan and against a move to defer the vote to carry out a two-week study on stadium location and then report back to council in December.

"It's up to us to make a decision," he said.

"If you don't want to accept $53 million of other people's money being invested in a facility we own, don't support it," he added.

The motion to defer was defeated 23-12.

The 12-team MLS added two new franchises this season: Real Salt Lake and FC Chivas, which plays out of Carson, Calif. Those expansion franchises cost $10 million US apiece.

The Toronto franchise is expected to cost MLSE slightly more.

MLS is looking for a second expansion team in 2007, with the leading candidates Cleveland, Philadelphia, Houston, Milwaukee and St. Louis, Garber said.

The Canadian Soccer Association, City of Toronto and MLSE Entertainment have already struck concluded a 20-year agreement on how to run the stadium. MLSE will operate the venue, which will be owned by the city.

Exhibition Place is located opposite Ontario Place on the lakefront. It used to be home to the Toronto Argos and Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium, and currently houses the American Hockey League's Marlies at the Ricoh Coliseum.

The soccer stadium has been an on-again, off-again project.

The CSA first pitched the idea of a soccer-specific stadium - an $83-million plan for a 30,000-seat venue at Exhibition Place - in July 2003. But it had little more than an initial stadium design at the time, plus a plan to ask various levels of government for a total of $62.5 million.

The project was then moved to the University of Toronto, which later backed away. Another plan at York University was shelved for the same reasons.

The Toronto Argonauts were partners in the plan, then stepped aside after deciding to stay at the Rogers Centre.

There was then talk of moving it to Downsview Park on federal-owned land in northern Toronto.

But the mayor wanted the stadium in Exhibition Place and the city money sealed the location.

"The Canadian Soccer Association wants to be at Exhibition Place because their study shows that's where it's to be," Miller said. "Their study, not ours . . . Canadian Soccer, that's where they want it."

The stadium design calls for 20,000 seats with the ability to expand by another 10,000 seats.

The Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact both plan their owns stadiums down the line. But neither team is happy that the CSA has pushed the Toronto stadium, saying focusing solely on Toronto will be bad for soccer elsewhere in the country.

Rugby Canada says it will likely not stage internationals in the Toronto area because leading rugby teams won't play on an artificial surface.

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quote:Originally posted by DoyleG

In Affectionate Remembrance of CANADIAN SOCCER, which died at Toronto City Hall on 27th OCTOBER, 2005, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.

N.B. — The body will be cremated and the ashes scattered at sea.

ROTFLMAO HA HA HA HA!

Priceless.......

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I am in 7th you know what,I had a very succesfull morning in court today.That vote,as expected. I guess the ya sayers gave the other idiots some rope and le voila this will be remembered when the next vote takes place I hope . this Ford guy is a herk and Norm Kelly whom I know tried to railroad this stadium. Anyway just received a lenghty media release from the CSA and if some one has it please put it on.This brings me to the hard working good guys. thank you CSA and our little street fighter Kevan in particular. What a persistant little guy.I wish that you guys would recognize his accomplishements and give the guy credit for a change.

I would like to see ING give it a shot to name it the ING stadium. This is right up their alley or Philips another Dutch giant that are very much involved in soccer and have those great wordwide contacts. I got both of them very much involved in the Robbie, so if my contacts are still there I will find out what they have in the plans for this stadium,but both are naturals.

Hey Robert still around buddy,Kevan pulled it of for all of us.Come on blow him a big kiss.You might even make up this way.

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quote:Originally posted by DoyleG

In Affectionate Remembrance of CANADIAN SOCCER, which died at Toronto City Hall on 27th OCTOBER, 2005, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.

N.B. — The body will be cremated and the ashes scattered at sea.

Okay... Lets recap

1) MLS will never want to expand to Toronto

2) FIFA will never allow MLS to expand to Toronto

3) MLS Toronto will be full of American players and they'd never change the rules

4) Toronto will never get a stadium

5) City council will never pass it

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Well I must tip my hat to the CSA and the City of Toronto for finally getting the stadium project done. I'll be even happier to hear the shovels have hit the ground.

This deal was crucial to the staging of the WYC tournament and will showcase Toronto to the world.

I expect the final will be held there so I will now likely miss seeing any games live but overall it is great news.

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