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View Full Version : Where would Pan Am soccer games be played?



Waggy
05-27-2009, 05:44 PM
If we do win the Pan Am games in 2015 (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/641242), where would the soccer events be held? I assume BMO would be a bit small for those kind of games, but I can't imagine them wanting to play in the Dome either. As long as some kind of venue is needed, why not make an offer to the city that they'll supply the stadium if the city provides the land (the existing plot at the Ex), and build a stadium with provincial and federal support? The province will probably have to build one anyways, we may as well get in on the ground floor and get a more... high end stadium. Something like Hulls stadium, which holds 25000, and looks real nice. And only 44 million pounds (65 million CAD? 70? Little help on that one). I figure 25000 is a good number, and it'd just be a much more profesional looking stadium. And if the governments are going to be building anyways, it'd actually be cheaper for the taxpayers if MLSE chipped in. Thoughts?

Suds
05-27-2009, 05:55 PM
Details of the Pan Am bid are pretty light at this stage. If there were to be an opportunity for MLSE to get some sort of sports venue on the back of the tax payer you know they'll be on it like a fat kid on a Smartie.

That being said, Ontarians don't have much of an appetite to backing mostly government funded stadiums. The U-21 World Cup and BMO were fairly small venture in scope.

Of course, the the Pan Am bid could include an upgrade to BMO in its plans. You often see these bids try to incorporate existing facilities to keep costs down. If they already have a national football stadium I don't see them building another one.

Nazzer
05-27-2009, 06:15 PM
Wasn't there a new soccer stadium that would go in near Ivor Wynne planned for the Pan Am games, and this was the basis of the talk of a new USL1 team in Hamilton?

Waggy
05-27-2009, 06:25 PM
Details of the Pan Am bid are pretty light at this stage. If there were to be an opportunity for MLSE to get some sort of sports venue on the back of the tax payer you know they'll be on it like a fat kid on a Smartie.

That being said, Ontarians don't have much of an appetite to backing mostly government funded stadiums. The U-21 World Cup and BMO were fairly small venture in scope.

Of course, the the Pan Am bid could include an upgrade to BMO in its plans. You often see these bids try to incorporate existing facilities to keep costs down. If they already have a national football stadium I don't see them building another one.

I completely agree about MLSE being all over anything that'll get them something for free or discount. But my point is Ontarians will probably end up paying anyways. Besides, I don't see how much upgrading to BMO can really be done. Its a pretty bare bones design. I see it much like exhibition stadium for the Jays. A cheap test run, if all goes well, within a few years start planning the more permanent home.

And if BMO isnt equiped to handle the Pan Am games, how would a USL1 stadium in Hamilton be able to handle it?

manic.street.preacher
05-27-2009, 06:29 PM
BMO should definitely be capable of hosting the games ... I was in Winnipeg when they hosted the '99 games, and if I recall correctly they played the matches at the U of Manitoba football field and they did fine

Waggy
05-27-2009, 06:38 PM
BMO should definitely be capable of hosting the games ... I was in Winnipeg when they hosted the '99 games, and if I recall correctly they played the matches at the U of Manitoba football field and they did fine


What if the semifinal is Uruguay vs Argentina, Brazil vs Chile, with an Argentina vs Brazil final? That could get 50 000+ in Toronto. Probably much more interest here/now than in Winnipeg in 99. Hell, if the Canadian women made a run to the quarter or semi finals they could probably draw 30-40, if not more. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to grow interest in the game and get a new and better stadium for us?

Dirk Diggler
05-27-2009, 06:55 PM
Wasn't there a new soccer stadium that would go in near Ivor Wynne planned for the Pan Am games, and this was the basis of the talk of a new USL1 team in Hamilton?

During the games itself, the Hamilton stadium is going to be used for track and field. However, in legacy mode they hope that they can retrofit the stadium to fit the Ti-Cats and the USL-1 if that ever materializes.