Talk of Halifax expansion alive again

[argos1873]

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/novascotia/story/2013/07/26/ns-cfl-franchise-halifax-meeting.html


Halifax mayor says CFL team dream still possible

Mike Savage recently met with CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon to discuss new stadium

CBC News

Posted: Jul 26, 2013 3:20 PM ET
Last Updated: Jul 26, 2013 5:58 PM ET

The dream of Halifax landing a Canadian Football League expansion franchise is once again alive.

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage confirmed that he recently met with the CFL commissioner Mark Cohon in an effort to discuss a new stadium.

Savage said the economic climate has changed, and there's a strong desire in the city — not just for a football team, but a world class venue.

“We've never given up on the idea of a stadium. At the time that we looked at it, everything wasn't in play that we needed,” he said.

“We didn't have the partners at the other level of government and I think we need private sector support as well. But I think that there's some appetite and we have to gauge that.”

Savage said there's no formal plan to move forward.

In May, Cohon challenged people at a news conference in Moncton to help bring a team to the Maritimes. He said he doesn't buy the argument the Maritime region does not have a strong enough business base to support a team of its own.

There has been much debate about which Maritime city would have the most success hosting a CFL franchise.

Earlier this year, a sports marketing analyst said that Halifax has a better chance than Moncton at maintaining a successful franchise in the Maritimes.

The Montreal Alouettes and the Hamilton Tiger Cats will play a regular season game in Moncton on Sept. 21. The annual CFL game that Moncton hosts usually sells out.

[Argo57]

10 team league would be perfect, move Winnipeg west where they belong!!

[294life]

I agree that Halifax is the better place to have a team. Just a matter of political will.

[AaronInToronto]

Captive base in Halifax, but a larger population to draw from in Moncton (1 hour to PEI, 1.5 hours to Fredericton, 1.5 hrs to Saint John, 2.5 hours to Halifax)

[ArgoRavi]

Captive base in Halifax, but a larger population to draw from in Moncton (1 hour to PEI, 1.5 hours to Fredericton, 1.5 hrs to Saint John, 2.5 hours to Halifax)

The stadium remains the key though. Whomever gets a CFL stadium up first can have the team.

[matthew]

Agreed. First come, first served in this case.


The stadium remains the key though. Whomever gets a CFL stadium up first can have the team.

[shayman]

The stadium remains the key though. Whomever gets a CFL stadium up first can have the team.


Moncton's gotta be way ahead here, having already successfully hosted a couple of games in a 20,000 seat stadium. The one preseason game in Halifax - Argos vs Hamilton, in 2005 - was played at Huskies Stadium, which even with temporary seating, only held 11,000. It'd never work for a CFL team.

Neither city has anybody stepping up to be an owner yet but Moncton is way ahead on the stadium front.

[Argocister]

Moncton's gotta be way ahead here, having already successfully hosted a couple of games in a 20,000 seat stadium. The one preseason game in Halifax - Argos vs Hamilton, in 2005 - was played at Huskies Stadium, which even with temporary seating, only held 11,000. It'd never work for a CFL team.

Neither city has anybody stepping up to be an owner yet but Moncton is way ahead on the stadium front.

I agree that Moncton is ahead in the game. Huskies stadium is apparently falling apart, and the city of
Halifax seems as if it is as bad as Hamilton in deciding if there should be an improvement to the stadium, or where there should be a stadium. They had the opportunity in receiving some funding with the Women's soccer coming up in 2015 ( I think) but were so indecisive that they missed out altogether.

[1argoholic]

My buddy moved to PEI from TO about five or six years back and loves hitting those games in Moncton. People in PEI would be all over it and feel like more of a part of Canada for sure. I think they get forgotten since it's such a small province. Halifax needs to get it's head from you know where.

[LLB997]

Good to hear the fans out east are enjoying TD Atlantic. I heard there was some boondoggle over ticket sales at the 2nd installment resulting in a not quite sold out game.

[Hewie Louie]

Neither city has anybody stepping up to be an owner yet but Moncton is way ahead on the stadium front.

Hmmmmmmmm... how many teams do you think the league would let Mr. Braley own?

[Rids]

Good to hear the fans out east are enjoying TD Atlantic. I heard there was some boondoggle over ticket sales at the 2nd installment resulting in a not quite sold out game.

Even when you look at this year's game the brutal endzone seats are $49 but they have apparently sold out of those ones. I think they were $56 last year.

[294life]

It'll be my first experience there but i got my tix on the upper side corner for twenty more. figured i'll get a better view for a measly 20 extra. Heard from a fan who went in 2011 that there's no place to park.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Is the TCH twined throughout the maritimes? If it is then Halifax should not be a problem.
Agreed though that HRM couldn't organize an orgy in a whore house.