New Stadium Locations

[intoronto]

I don't agree BMO Field is the best option for the Argos. BMO Field is a soccer specific facility and should be left as is (besides the FC fans are objecting the idea already). What the Argos need is a 25,000-30,000 seat facility built somewhere accessible by transit. York University maybe?

[paulwoods13]

I don't agree BMO Field is the best option for the Argos. BMO Field is a soccer specific facility and should be left as is (besides the FC fans are objecting the idea already). What the Argos need is a 25,000-30,000 seat facility built somewhere accessible by transit. York University maybe?

Welcome to the site. Feel free to peruse the many threads that have dealt with this issue and continue to do so. Here is a summary of the salient points:

Everyone seems to accept that York is not an option. The team itself has said the footprint for a potential stadium there is too small.

Some fans believe the best options are in the North (such as Downsview, Woodbine, Vaughan or Markham) because they are easily accessible by car. Other say no location requiring a drive is truly easily accessible in Toronto's congested traffic.

Some fans say BMO is ideal because it accessible by highway and transit from all directions. (This of course is predicated on the stadium being rebuilt to accommodate Cdn football.) Others say BMO is a pain in the a-- to get to by car and transit.

Some fans believe that direct public transit from all directions must be available, as it is now. Others say it's OK to have one or two transit options (such as subway and Viva or whatever the regional public transit is called in the north) but not necessary to make the game easily accessible to those who now take GO Transit on the Lakeshore line.

A few other ideas have been floated (such as stadium in Mississauga, Oakville or now Pickering) but there does not seem to be any consensus in favour of those.

Some fans say they are sure that Braley will build his own stadium in the North. Others say they are sure Braley will not spend his own money on a stadium.

Some fans think being bought by MLSE (and moving into BMO) would be ideal because the team would have wealthy owners who would make merchandise available and support the team regardless. Others say being owned by MLSE would be a complete disaster because its teams never win.

Have I forgotten anything?

[Neely2005]

Welcome to the site. Feel free to peruse the many threads that have dealt with this issue and continue to do so. Here is a summary of the salient points:

Everyone seems to accept that York is not an option. The team itself has said the footprint for a potential stadium there is too small.

Some fans believe the best options are in the North (such as Downsview, Woodbine, Vaughan or Markham) because they are easily accessible by car. Other say no location requiring a drive is truly easily accessible in Toronto's congested traffic.

Some fans say BMO is ideal because it accessible by highway and transit from all directions. (This of course is predicated on the stadium being rebuilt to accommodate Cdn football.) Others say BMO is a pain in the a-- to get to by car and transit.

Some fans believe that direct public transit from all directions must be available, as it is now. Others say it's OK to have one or two transit options (such as subway and Viva or whatever the regional public transit is called in the north) but not necessary to make the game easily accessible to those who now take GO Transit on the Lakeshore line.

A few other ideas have been floated (such as stadium in Mississauga, Oakville or now Pickering) but there does not seem to be any consensus in favour of those.

Some fans say they are sure that Braley will build his own stadium in the North. Others say they are sure Braley will not spend his own money on a stadium.

Some fans think being bought by MLSE (and moving into BMO) would be ideal because the team would have wealthy owners who would make merchandise available and support the team regardless. Others say being owned by MLSE would be a complete disaster because its teams never win.

Have I forgotten anything?

That's a pretty good summary. I think that the only thing that you forgot to mention is the TTC Subway extension that will be opening in Vaughan.

I keep seeing this $200 million number. It seems to be the general consensus. Can anyone tell me why? BMO Field's construction cost was $67.6 million and everyone is saying that set up would be fine. I mean sure, if you're going to throw all the bells and whistles on it will cost more, but I think it could be done for less.

I don't think that there were any land costs for BMO though.




The commissioner talks about a new stadium for the Argonauts:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/argos/...ce_cox.bb.html

[Argo57]

I don't agree BMO Field is the best option for the Argos. BMO Field is a soccer specific facility and should be left as is (besides the FC fans are objecting the idea already). What the Argos need is a 25,000-30,000 seat facility built somewhere accessible by transit. York University maybe?

Hence the $100 million BMO renovation being discussed, I see a pretty decent amount of Argonaut fans taking the Go Train from Burlington and increasing (as Paul stated) as you go east. Stadium has to be centrally located to suit the masses, I wouldn't be remotely interested in travelling to Pickering to see them play.
FC fans can object all they want but if the hypothetical MLSE purchase comes to fruition then it will become a dual purpose stadium.

[intoronto]

Thanks for the welcome !

Hence the $100 million BMO renovation being discussed, I see a pretty decent amount of Argonaut fans taking the Go Train from Burlington and increasing (as Paul stated) as you go east. Stadium has to be centrally located to suit the masses, I wouldn't be remotely interested in travelling to Pickering to see them play.
FC fans can object all they want but if the hypothetical MLSE purchase comes to fruition then it will become a dual purpose stadium.

Wouldn't you rather spend $100 million on a new stadium?

The York University site is not the current Pan Am Stadium. There is lands surrounding the university where a stadium can easily be sloted in. Two transit slots are there and its very close to a highway. I think its a win win as its accessible by car and transit, while being close to the 905.

Woodbine could also work, as the Woodbine Live redevelopment didn't work out, however its only accessible by car. What if someone doesn't have a car? A site needs to cater to people with cars and those who will commute with transit.

[Argo57]

Thanks for the welcome !




Wouldn't you rather spend $100 million on a new stadium?

The York University site is not the current Pan Am Stadium. There is lands surrounding the university where a stadium can easily be sloted in. Two transit slots are there and its very close to a highway. I think its a win win as its accessible by car and transit, while being close to the 905.

Woodbine could also work, as the Woodbine Live redevelopment didn't work out, however its only accessible by car. What if someone doesn't have a car? A site needs to cater to people with cars and those who will commute with transit.

A new stadium would cost $200 million or more, if MLSE chooses to purchase the Argos and spend $100 million on the Reno so be it.

[ArgosFanEastSide]

A new stadium would cost $200 million or more, if MLSE chooses to purchase the Argos and spend $100 million on the Reno so be it.

I keep seeing this $200 million number. It seems to be the general consensus. Can anyone tell me why? BMO Field's construction cost was $67.6 million and everyone is saying that set up would be fine. I mean sure, if you're going to throw all the bells and whistles on it will cost more, but I think it could be done for less.

[paulwoods13]

I keep seeing this $200 million number. It seems to be the general consensus. Can anyone tell me why? BMO Field's construction cost was $67.6 million and everyone is saying that set up would be fine. I mean sure, if you're going to throw all the bells and whistles on it will cost more, but I think it could be done for less.

The Pan-Am stadium in Hamilton is costing something like $150M, with no land cost, and it looks pretty bare-bones to me. Based on that, I think with land costs, a new Toronto stadium would cost well above $150M.

BMO as it stands now is not the quality of stadium we'd want long-term, although with the rumoured upgrades (projected to cost $100M) it could be a very nice long-term home for us.

[Gill The Thrill]

The Pan-Am stadium in Hamilton is costing something like $150M, with no land cost, and it looks pretty bare-bones to me. Based on that, I think with land costs, a new Toronto stadium would cost well above $150M.

BMO as it stands now is not the quality of stadium we'd want long-term, although with the rumoured upgrades (projected to cost $100M) it could be a very nice long-term home for us.

Are you referring to Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. It does not look that bare bones to me...it has more walls and finished structure than BMO field, which is described by one poster on here as a "mechano standium". BMO as it stands now is not CFL calibre because of the seating. Surely a CFL stadium in Toronto should have more than 21,000 capacity, and probably no less than 30k, but at the very least 27-28K with an ability to expand to host Grey Cups. This needs to be considered if Rogers Centre changes their turf to natural grass but also changes their rotating 100 level sections to fix them permanently to baseball seating. That would pretty much ruin the football or soccer sightlines at Rogers Centre.

If bare bones means not having an unnecessary hotel built, or bronze gargoyles on the outside or carpeting on the concourse, then that's fine with me. Many of the great stadiums in other places don't have those and they provide a great atmosphere, better than any atmosphere the RC has.

The new stadium should be in the downtown Toronto area so that fans can enjoy the downtown area with countless quality restaurants plus the usual " chain " restaurants. Numerous out of town fans attend the games and spend the day & night . Games should be saved for Fr Sat nights /Sat & Sun afternoons .

Contrary to one post in this thread...Downsview is not a 50 minute subway ride from Union Stadium. At most it's a 25 minute ride by transit and even car from some parts of downtown. If out of town fans spend day and night, it's definitely possible to enjoy a downtown restaurant close to your downtown hotel and then take one conveniant subway ride (with no transfers) to a possible stadium in Downsview which could have a natural tailgate atmosphere. That could work, much better than dealing with a horrible parking situation downtown, horrible traffic with closed streets, and another event like a basketball game like we had last Sunday...the supposed accessible walk to the stadium from Union Station can be 20 minutes on P.A.T.H when you take account of all the detours and stairs that you go through while walking because of the construction that seems to never end...that's about the same length of time that it would take for a nice comfortable ride on a TTC subway from Union to Downsview....and if you're driving, you have highways that move in all directions with no lake preventing traffic from moving in all 4 cardinal directions. Many stadiums in many major cities are not located downtown...Giants/Jets Stadium is not even in New York State, let alone New York City.