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Expansion: Ottawa is still a contender


Luis_Rancagua

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The stadia proposals for Ottawa will be reviewed by city council this week. Last week news came out that Frank Clair (Lansdowne) stadium was in a bad state of repair and the whole thing including the hockey arena might have to be re-built. Don't know how that would affect the CFL group's bid but part of their argument was that it would cost far less to re-develop Lansdowne than to build elsewhere. That idea could go out the window if repairs are unrealistic/uneconomic. Could open the door a bit wider for Melnyk's bid.

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quote:Originally posted by ray

The stadia proposals for Ottawa will be reviewed by city council this week. Last week news came out that Frank Clair (Lansdowne) stadium was in a bad state of repair and the whole thing including the hockey arena might have to be re-built. Don't know how that would affect the CFL group's bid but part of their argument was that it would cost far less to re-develop Lansdowne than to build elsewhere. That idea could go out the window if repairs are unrealistic/uneconomic. Could open the door a bit wider for Melnyk's bid.

I thought about that too. Alternatively, the thinking might be "We need to do something about Lansdowne anyways, so why don't we just do it there."

It really is hard to say where this is going to finish. Please post any articles out of the Ottawa media over the next couple of weeks so can follow any developments.

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quote:Originally posted by masster

It really is hard to say where this is going to finish. Please post any articles out of the Ottawa media over the next couple of weeks so can follow any developments.

Here's one: Stadium Showdown

"A much-anticipated city report on two rival proposals for a 20,000-seat open-air stadium is set to be released this afternoon and chances are both will be rejected."

Interesting.

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quote:Originally posted by NPE

Hardly surprising considering economic climate and more pressing issues which can't get even get off the ground and moving, i.e., transit

Good point :D .

If Melnyck wasn't so married to his Kanata location and soccer exclusivity, maybe the (potential) stadium rebuild required at Lansdowne could provide the oportunity for a SSS at the current site or elsewhere. The city should be pushing the side closer together.

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Ouch

Ottawa city staff's evaluation of two major stadium proposals favours Lansdowne Live over a rival bid by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk.

The Lansdowne Live proposal received 80 points compared to 70 points for the Senators Sports and Entertainment proposal.

The city deems Melnyk's business plan "below expectations."

The report says Senators Sports and Entertainment "was deemed not to have satisfied this criteria (business plan)."

It says that the revenues expected from their plan were too optimistic.

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I'm not sure how to react. Does City Council think that soccer can't bring in the same/more money than a CFL team or has Melnyk over-estimated the revenue streams he can get out in Kanata?

I'm still conflicted. Soccer, yes. Landsdowne, yes. Kanata, no.

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Lebreton flats isn't a viable option. Eugene wants it out in Canada so that he can cross promote with the Sens.

An engineering report will be out shortly on Lansdowne. Just read a few minutes ago that they think it'll cost 1-2million more per year to keep it running and the number for 20-30 years will be out later.

I'd love to see a SSS downtown but I'm definitely not holding my breath. I think the dream is dead for now in Ottawa.

For the record, city council in Ottawa is full of idiots and panderers. They're far more worried about their re-election bid than actually doing what is right for the city and it's people. I've completely lost faith in our municipal government from the mayor all the way down to the parking meter assholes.

Terrible day for Ottawa and soccer in Canada.

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^ It's not over yet but I share your sceptism (I'll put it politely) of council and the mayor.

I'd love to say that Lebreton Flats is an option but the War Museum and the condos (whenever the rest of them are built) are pretty much set in stone. After that, no space left. But it is so central and easy by public transit.

Oh yeah, and imagine the gridlock on the 417 the day the Senators have a playoff game and the Ottawa MLS team is playing around the same time? It would be easier for me to go down the 401 and watch TFC.

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What about Lynx Stadium as a USL-1 venue? Could be a test case to feel out the market. And it's just sitting there, costing the city maintance money, without a tenant or a redevelopment plan. Rochester played in a AAA ball stadium for a while, Puerto Rico does now. Couldn't it work? Yeah, parking's an issue, but it's on better public transit routes than Lansdowne.

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quote:Originally posted by Full-Time

It appears that if the MLS is coming to Ottawa, it won't be in Kanata. Apparently council have rejected Melnyk's proposal to build a soccer specific stadium.

Not at all true. It came to a joint meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee and the Corporate Services and Economic Develoment Committee today, where staff basically told council that both proposals are good, but they have to decide if they want to spend $100 million on any stadium anywhere when they have a $3 Billion light rail system to fund and build. I watched this on webcast.

So, staff essentially slapped the wrist of council and told them "DON'T DO IT" but Council does not decide until April 22. I think the only way a stadium gets built is if the Feds and Province step up with money that Ottawa can only use for a stadium (ala BMO Field). And then, it remains my opinion (despite my obvious bias) that the soccer stadium is the better option for Ottawa.

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I hope council rejects both bids and tells them to come up with something better. I think there's big interest for soccer in Ottawa (probably on par if not surpassing the interest for another CFL franchise). However, people (and I say that in the general sense) simply do not want it in Kanata.

LEBRETON FLATS. Make it happen Mr Melnyk.

Or just screw pro sports entirely and invest in transit and social housing ;).

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quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

Or Mr Melnyk, join Joey Saputo to put the Impact in MLS where it belongs.

Wishing thinking, Melnyk doesn't play 2nd fiddle to anyone on these type of things. But I agree that Montreal should be in MLS first.

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Heard a CBC interview with Jeff Hunt (Ottawa 67's/Landsdowne option for stadium) and he came across as being open and willing to accomodate soccer (exact wording?) in addition to CDN football. While this may sound less than ideal to the soccer/football purist out there, given the economy, other priorities for spending(funding transit etc) in Ottawa and the location (central versus suburb), the landsdowne option for soccer seems to have merit at this point (regardless of whether MLS ever makes it to Ottawa).

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quote:Originally posted by NPE

Heard a CBC interview with Jeff Hunt (Ottawa 67's/Landsdowne option for stadium) and he came across as being open and willing to accomodate soccer (exact wording?) in addition to CDN football. While this may sound less than ideal to the soccer/football purist out there, given the economy, other priorities for spending(funding transit etc) in Ottawa and the location (central versus suburb), the landsdowne option for soccer seems to have merit at this point (regardless of whether MLS ever makes it to Ottawa).

He has said that they will make the stadium able to accomodate soccer, but they have no interest in actually getting a soccer team.

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quote:Originally posted by NPE

Heard a CBC interview with Jeff Hunt (Ottawa 67's/Landsdowne option for stadium) and he came across as being open and willing to accomodate soccer (exact wording?) in addition to CDN football. While this may sound less than ideal to the soccer/football purist out there, given the economy, other priorities for spending(funding transit etc) in Ottawa and the location (central versus suburb), the landsdowne option for soccer seems to have merit at this point (regardless of whether MLS ever makes it to Ottawa).

Christ, the guy would go to bed with his mother if he thought he could squeeze out funding. CFL is a lost cause in Ottawa. Too many kicks at the can already.

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