Group makes ‘very credible’ pitch for Halifax CFL franchise

[rdavies]

I think we have discussed the "no stadium funding" to death. No funding for a stadium, no franchise.

We are six months into an eight year process, (the average length of time to go from public release of a stadium proposal to stadium completion) in Canada. So you have many more years of googling any negative information you can find and watching gawdawful MLS games (with the 20 other people across Canada) before this story has a meaningful ending.

[Flutie]

We are six months into an eight year process, (the average length of time to go from public release of a stadium proposal to stadium completion) in Canada. So you have many more years of googling any negative information you can find and watching gawdawful MLS games (with the 20 other people across Canada) before this story has a meaningful ending.

I'm trying to figure out why you keep bringing up the MLS and TFC? I don't get it. Yes gawdawful MLS games blah blah I agree. Now can you just stick to the topics and try to debate?

But getting back to the Halifax situation, the provincial government has already stated that they will not fund a CFL stadium in Halifax.
The HRC and the provincial government just opened a $500 MILLION Convention Centre and are not going to spend another $200 Million or so on a new stadium.
If you look at the plans for Shannon Park there is no place for a stadium, the old military site is planned for housing and parks.
You say there is a public release of a stadium proposal?? where? I don't see any stadium proposal in Halifax, I am trying to be realistic not just posting negative stuff. The chances of a pubically funded stadium and a CFL team is zero

[rdavies]

the provincial government has already stated that they will not fund a CFL stadium in Halifax.

You say there is a public release of a stadium proposal?? where? I don't see any stadium proposal in Halifax,

I am trying to be realistic not just posting negative stuff. The chances of a pubically funded stadium and a CFL team is zero

Where has the provincial government stated they would not put funding towards a stadium? They said they wouldn't use certain funds that were allocated to the province, that's a different thing altogether.

Ok, let's play the semantics game then if you misunderstood or I didn't spell it out. Let's just say the proposal for looking at building a stadium with definite plans and funding models not yet specified.

As for the game you're playing at this site and with the other posters, as LBJ would say "Don't shit me cuz I know better" Seen it before, you guys give yourselves away.

And this is laughable "I am trying to be realistic not just posting negative stuff. The chances of a pubically funded stadium and a CFL team is zero" That's not negative stuff?

Lots of people here post contrary opinions and doubt this project, that's fine, but you're not being honest about your motives and I don't respect that.

[rdavies]

Prospective Halifax ownership group meets with selected governors
TSN.ca Staff May 18, 2018



The prospective ownership group of a potential CFL team in Halifax met with selected governors around the league on Thursday, according to a report from TSN's Farhan Lalji.



The meeting was an opportunity for current owners to provide feedback on the Halifax ownership group's business plan, according to Lalji, and there is cautious optimism as the process moves forward. Lalji added that a stadium deal is still the key for the prospective Halifax owners.

[R.J]

Commissioner @RandyAmbrosie and representative of prospective Hfx ownership group meeting today with Premier of NB and Mayor of Moncton. Believed to be discussing impact of regional Atlantic team and possibility of playing games in Moncton while stadium built in Halifax. #CFL

— David William Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) June 6, 2018

I think this is a good more, and shows the potential Owners are serious about it being a regional team.

[rdavies]

I think this is a good more, and shows the potential Owners are serious about it being a regional team.

He talked about this in the Tim and Sid interview I believe. No real news on T&S, just reinforcing the tweet and post above.

The owners have stated many times about being a regional team but people keep talking about a Halifax or Nova Scotia name. The commish was talking about Moncton being involved to the point of maybe hosting the team until a stadium was built IIRC. He may also have hinted at things like preseason and TC being held in Moncton.

[argotom]

I think this is a good more, and shows the potential Owners are serious about it being a regional team.

That's a great idea.
I was there a few years ago at the 1st TD Atlantic game involving my Argos.
The place was sold out and their was a buzz in the air.
Not to mention how Moncton was in the running for a team.
This would also no doubt have a decent base of fans for the future who no doubt would attend in Halifax to watch.
A regional team for sure in Atlantic Canada.

[rdavies]

Maritime Football Ltd to provide update to Halifax city council
Dave Naylor TSN June 19 2018

The group hoping to establish the CFL’s 10th franchise in Atlantic Canada is expected to provide details to Halifax city council today on where it stands in that process, including some important agreements recently established with the league.

Maritime Football Ltd and the CFL recently agreed to a three-step process with the league for securing a team, with the details and conditions of the first step laid out on paper.

Today's meeting in Halifax is expected to be in-​camera.

The prospective ownership group, Maritime Football Ltd., is hoping to be able to join the league in time for the 2021 season, with the biggest piece required being the financing and construction of a stadium to accommodate crowds of roughly 25,000.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie has endorsed the idea of an Atlantic Canadian franchise in principle and visited Halifax this past winter as part of his cross-country road trip. Two weeks ago he and a member of Maritime Football Ltd, Anthony LeBlanc, engaged with Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold and New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant to gauge their support for a team, which the league hopes to be representative of all of Atlantic Canada.

[rdavies]

Halifax council meets with company pushing for East Coast CFL team
The Canadian Press June 19, 2018

Halifax Regional Council received a private briefing Tuesday from the company hoping to bring a CFL team to the Maritimes.

Mayor Mike Savage confirmed councillors met with representatives of Maritime Football Ltd., but would not discuss the nature of the talks.

It took place behind closed doors as a last-minute addition to Tuesday’s council agenda, though it contained no references to Maritime Football Ltd., or the CFL.

Savage has previously said the municipality wouldn’t be pushing the issue, so as not to put taxpayers at risk over the cost of building a stadium.

Savage told Global News Tuesday that Maritime Football Ltd., had “advanced” their case in such a way that had firmed up the business model.

He said a public discussion may come at council’s July 17th meeting.

“You may be seeing something come forward in such a way that we can have a public discussion about the CFL in the next meeting,” he said.

“I think we’re at the point now where this has to come out and be public as much as possible … People want to see it in public and have a discussion about it.”

Earlier this month, CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said there was still no definitive date for a yes-or-no decision for an expansion team based in Halifax.

He said the league is working with the ownership group, discussing their business plan and having them meet with CFL teams.

The big issue is funding a 30,000-seat stadium in Halifax.

Ambrosie and Halifax bid proponents Bruce Bowser and Anthony LeBlanc told a packed hotel ballroom in February they are maintaining a methodical approach to ultimately landing a team.

Ambrosie assured the largely enthusiastic audience at his commissioner’s “town hall” that the league is excited about the prospect after a previous attempt in the 1980s was scuttled because of the failure to land a stadium.

[argolio]

2021 would be awesome if they could pull that off.

[jerrym]

The enterprise seeking a CFL franchise in the Maritimes, Maritime Football Limited, has narrowed their possible stadium choices to two: Dartmouth Crossing and Bayers Lake business park.

The group led by LeBlanc, Bruce Bowser and Gary Drummond are negotiating with the site owners hoping to finalize a stadium site soon.
“We’re trying to get the best terms possible,” LeBlanc said.

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage is on record that the project, which is expected to cost in the neighbourhood of $200 million, has to make sense for the municipality and needs to be transit-oriented. The group is looking at a similar model to Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa, which includes the 24,000-seat TD Place along with shops, restaurants, green spaces and courtyards, according to Zane Woodford of StarMerto Halifax.
“We certainly think it’s the right way to go,” LeBlanc said. “There is the creation of the fan experience of having things that you can do other than just going to the game. These types of facilities, they are not just football. … It becomes an economic driver and it helps to build kind of those mini-communities.” ...


“Obviously, the difference between Ottawa and the sites we’re looking at is that we’ve been pretty open that there isn’t a site in, call it downtown Halifax, that is sufficient. The green neighbourhood in Ottawa is a little bit different than the sites we’re looking at but we feel comfortable that there is a true mixed-use development potential,” LeBlanc said.
There is a clear appetite for spending municipal tax dollars to help fund a new outdoor stadium for Halifax according to a poll conducted by StarMetro Halifax.
“What they are looking at, I think they have been public about this, is (something) that’s offset against future potential tax revenue in the area that they want to build,” Mayor Savage said.

Last Friday, LeBlanc was in Winnipeg to meet and present a business plan review to CFL executives.
“We’ve talked extensively with the league, HRM and the province about this that we’re probably going to take a play out of the playbook in other league’s recent expansion,” LeBlanc said.
“If you look at Las Vegas and Seattle in the NHL, one of the conditional precedents was to go out and do a season ticket drive, so everybody knows that the market that everyone thinks is there is really there. I think it’s fair to say that that will absolutely be part of our plan.”

http://3downnation.com/2018/07/09/maritime-football-group-narrows-stadium-site-search-two-spots/

[halifaxguy]

As much as I would like to see a team in Halifax, unless the owners come up with the financing it will never happen. $200 Million may not seem a lot if you are in Ontario with a population of 12 Million and a huge tax base, but in Nova Scotia with only a population of 940,000, $200 Million is a lot of money.
I won't even discuss the potential site or a ticket drive it's pointless right now.

[Foxhound]

A price tag of $200 million for a 24,000 seat stadium strikes me as being high. Why is such a Cadillac of a stadium needed? Why not build a no-frills stadium that's adequate for the purpose and no more?

[AngeloV]

A price tag of $200 million for a 24,000 seat stadium strikes me as being high. Why is such a Cadillac of a stadium needed? Why not build a no-frills stadium that's adequate for the purpose and no more?

I don't think that price tag is for just the stadium. I may be wrong, but I think it's also for developing the area around the stadium, from what I understand similar to what they have done in Ottawa.

[halifaxguy]

I don't think that price tag is for just the stadium. I may be wrong, but I think it's also for developing the area around the stadium, from what I understand similar to what they have done in Ottawa.

THF was around $150 MILLION but that was 4 or 5 years ago, I'm sure that building/material costs have gone up since then.
Also THF and TD Place both built on sites that were already zoned/infrastructure ready ie site cleared,drainage, electrical etc all in place.
You can't expect fans to sit in a bare bones stadium on a metal bench and expect to charge them $50 - $120 a ticket. Stadiums have the private suites, club seats, individual seats, you have to make it worthwhile for fans to come to the stadium vs sitting in front of their HD screens in a comfortable seat.
As I said above, the HRM and the province do not have the money. The population of the province is only 940k, that's a small tax base.
The ideal situation would be to have the ownership group come up with the financing.

[jerrym]

Mike Savage, the mayor of Halifax, expects Maritime Football Limited (MFL) to present to detail its bid for a CFL franchise to the Halifax Regional Council meeting on either July 17th or July 31st. Savage complimented MFL or their professionalism and on keeping the city up to date on the project, but said that the city is not keen on putting up a lot of money up front. If the bid proceeds, many on the regional council favour Halifax's contribution coming through taxation related to future development spurred by the stadium's existence. However, a couple of councillors have proposed a capped direct contribution.

[jerrym]

Halifax Regional Council has voted unanimously to explore the opportunities, as well as the risks, associated with a CFL franchise and stadium.

With a unanimous vote on Tuesday, council directed municipal staff to enter into talks with Maritime Football Ltd. and the provincial government “to explore opportunities and risks” associated with a stadium and Canadian Football League franchise for the municipality.

The public vote comes about a month after council got an update from Maritime Football Ltd. — the group pursuing a CFL franchise for Halifax — behind closed doors, and Mayor Mike Savage vowed to hold future discussions in public. The team is hoping to join the league for the 2021 season.

Savage said at the time that council hadn’t heard any numbers and there was no specific funding request from Maritime Football Ltd., but some councillors have discussed possible funding arrangements.

http://3downnation.com/2018/07/18/ha...dium-cfl-team/

[jerrym]

The creation of a Halifax stadium has moved another step closer.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a radio interview with a TSN Vancouver radio station that the city of Halifax has voted to put together a stadium proposal and that they are awaiting the results.
“I had a call early this morning with the principles from Maritime Football, the group that are putting together the bid to launch a team. The update was very positive,” Ambrosie told TSN radio. “About a month ago there was by unanimous vote a resolution to allow the city manager to put together a very specific stadium proposal. The work on that proposal is underway right now. We’re waiting for the results of that review and of course that involves site acquisition and some stadium design.” ...

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage is on record that the stadium project, which is expected to cost in the neighbourhood of $200 million, has to make sense for the municipality and needs to be transit-oriented. ...

“The principals from Maritime Football are visiting in Hamilton today, Scott Mitchell the president of the Ticats is giving them a tour of Tim Hortons Field. They’ve been to Ottawa. I was sharing with them this morning that they should go visit Winnipeg, Investors Group Field and see that Rum Hut area that’s been an amazing success for the Bombers,” Ambrosie said.

http://3downnation.com/2018/08/22/af...dium-proposal/

[jerrym]

According to Dave Naylor, by the end of the month Halifax city council is expected to get an update on negotiations with the proposed franchise ownership group, CFL Atlantic. If that is positive, then site and a deal with the province could occur quickly

[R.J]

https://www.tsn.ca/group-behind-hali...site~1.1198602

Maritime Football Limited is eyeing Shannon Park as the proposed site for a CFL stadium site. If Halifax is awarded a franchise, the proposed 24,000-seat stadium would cost $170 to $190 million.

— NEWS 95.7 Halifax (@NEWS957) October 26, 2018

Shannon Park IMO is the best possible site, so good on them for at least making it the "preferred" site. Still a long ways to go though.