Hamilton FirstOntario Centre Renovations | ?m | 4s | OVG | BBB

would be nice to see a set of updated renders...of course more importantly, a real construction schedule would be welcome.
 
Hopefully this HUPEG/OVG team-up yields some amazing results (and it looks like it might), but communication does not seem to be their strong suit, at least to the public. I think I can sympathize with the sports teams that were upset by not knowing what was going on.
 
BCTed said:
Hopefully this HUPEG/OVG team-up yields some amazing results (and it looks like it might), but communication does not seem to be their strong suit, at least to the public. I think I can sympathize with the sports teams that were upset by not knowing what was going on.
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I mean they don't really owe the public anything. Typically private redevelopment releases less information along the way letting you see the final result as the big reveal.
 
Maybe they don't, and maybe there is no need to share more or even appetite for it, but it is still a city-owned building for civic use and they have taken some pains to stress that this is a true public-private partnership.

And they also stated back in September that they would share more details with the public in October...
 
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Looks like things are finally getting started
1000006701.jpg
 
BCTed said:
Scotiabank Arena has held the groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of its $350 million renovation: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/articl...nk-arena-home-of-the-maple-leafs-and-raptors/
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And OVG breaks ground here on Thursday:

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

OVG to break ground on FirstOntario Centre reno

Oak View Group is officially breaking ground Thursday on its $280M renovation of FirstOntario Centre, the 39-year-old arena in Hamilton, Ontario.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

Oak View Group is officially breaking ground Thursday on its $280M renovation of FirstOntario Centre, the 39-year-old arena in Hamilton, Ontario.

OVG is paying for the arena renovation and will operate it as a part of a long-term lease with the city of Hamilton when the venue reopens in the fall of 2025. OVG will keep all revenue stemming from the arena’s operations, as well as naming rights, which OVG Canada will sell. The National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock is the building's current sole tenant, though OVG co-founder Tim Leiweke has expressed interest in attracting a hockey team to the arena (just not an NHL one).

Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects is designing the renovation, which is being built by Canadian contractor EllisDon. The Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG) is also involved in the project, which is part of a larger revamp of the city’s downtown district. Brisbin Brook Beynon’s subsidiary, SCI Architects, designed a renovation of CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore for OVG, the company’s other renovation project to date.
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So $42MM to build in 1985


Is today around $123MM, so $280MM on just improvements is pretty decent. Would be interesting to see if they ever feel compelled to highlight where the cash will go. Those external renders make me believe that the cash is being spent inside.
 
KingJames said:
So $42MM to build in 1985
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Is today around $123MM, so $280MM on just improvements is pretty decent. Would be interesting to see if they ever feel compelled to highlight where the cash will go. Those external renders make me believe that the cash is being spent inside.
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The Canada-wide construction inflation rate is nearly triple the CPI, closer to 6%. GTA is on the higher side of that rate. So a $42M 1985 project would cost somewhere between $365M and $550M today.

The irony is this is a very strong argument against overbuilding, rather than building extra today because it'll cost more tomorrow, as maintenance costs also increase at 6%/year but ticket prices generally cannot keep pace (income of consumers increases closer to the CPI rate).
 
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I drove by the area yesterday and, as much as I am excited by the groundbreaking (finally!) and the idea of revitalized entertainment facilities and what they may bring, the area immediately around the arena is looking especially ROUGH.

There is a guy on the sidewalk beside Sir John A. school who is sitting on a ridiculously massive pile of garbage, there are a bunch of tents on the lawn of the Sir John A. corner of York and Bay, the Salvation Army has a ton of down-on-their-luck people in front of it, and there seemed to be a hangout of about ten to a dozen homeless types at the east end of the arena on York by the ramp to the underground.

Hopefully this whole HUPEG/Commons/arena/other thing can kickstart better things for this downtown, but part of it has to involve helping these people or at least getting them to move somewhere else. I don't know.
 
BCTed said:
I drove by the area yesterday and, as much as I am excited by the groundbreaking (finally!) and the idea of revitalized entertainment facilities and what they may bring, the area immediately around the arena is looking especially ROUGH.

There is a guy on the sidewalk beside Sir John A. school who is sitting on a ridiculously massive pile of garbage, there are a bunch of tents on the lawn of the Sir John A. corner of York and Bay, the Salvation Army has a ton of down-on-their-luck people in front of it, and there seemed to be a hangout of about ten to a dozen homeless types at the east end of the arena on York by the ramp to the underground.

Hopefully this whole HUPEG/Commons/arena/other thing can kickstart better things for this downtown, but part of it has to involve helping these people or at least getting them to move somewhere else. I don't know.
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The only solution is to get them to move somewhere else - out of sight out of mind basically. There will never be any shortage of those kinds of people unfortunately.

Basically need almost a FEMA camp..
 
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