Metro Toronto Convention Centre Revitalization | Province of Ontario

[nightstreak]

Has Doug Ford not... uh... you know... considered that there's already a convention centre in the middle of downtown Toronto that could be rebuilt over the rail corridor given the swimming pools of money he's willing to pour into this?

Anywhere outside of downtown would not beat the MTCC for business. It'll always be the default first choice simply because of its location, close to a sufficient number of hotel rooms, restaurants and walkable attractions. No island in the lake is going to attract conventions no matter how cool it looks on Google Maps.

You're not going to move downtown Toronto to Ontario Place and you're not going to move it to East Harbour. It'll be decades before either has sufficient density to attract visitors like downtown Toronto does. The Enercare Centre gets B-rated conferences despite its larger contiguous floor space, because it's in the middle of nowhere with only one stubby hotel nearby.

 

[ericmacm]

An artificial island is never happening. Once you start talking about reclaiming land, you are entering federal jurisdiction. On the scale that is being discussed, you could effectively consider such a project impossible.

It is difficult to find enough contiguous land near downtown Toronto for a convention centre that size, but I believe this is most likely just a far-out option placed in a decision matrix to make the other available options seem better. I think it is far more likely that we see it get built at East Harbour. I also don’t think this project will necessarily render the MTCC useless, though. Many cities have multiple convention spaces and there is probably room for a renovated MTCC and new convention centre to coexist. I am not as sure about the future viability of the Enercare Centre in such a situation, though.

 

[christiesplits]

I believe you mean this article:

Ford eyes artificial island for massive convention centre, sources say

Premier, who has teased a new ‘shock-and-awe’ facility, is looking at using fill on Toronto waterfront

www.theglobeandmail.com

In sum, file this entire idea under tunnel under the 401 fantasy nonsense.

He could put in a huge Ferris wheel too and kill two birds.... legacy, legacy, legacy.

It would be poetic if the artificial island development interfered with Ford's other pet project of bringing jets to the Billy Bishop. Potential noise complaints or flight path restrictions?

 

[Northern Light]

He could put in a huge Ferris wheel too and kill two birds.... legacy, legacy, legacy.

Where's your sense of ambition?

Why not a tunnel under the 401, that loops down under the 427 and the DVP and then under the Harbour with its new artificial island?

The tunnel itself wouldn't have cars, of course, only a Mag-Lev Train and the world's largest convention centre and underground windowless hotel!

The Ferris Wheel could be boarded on the island, but instead of going up, it would go down allowing a view of the inner harbour from underneath as the glass enclosed cars descend beneath the earth and allow for an exit at the new Mag-Lev Station.

The Train will also connect to the world's largest glow-in-the-dark under-water bowling alley, which will be full licensed and feature an adjacent spa.

 

[ShonTron]

It makes no sense for logistical reasons too. A convention centre is a giant windowless building (except for the lobby and maybe some breakout rooms and management offices on the side). You need to bring in vans and trucks for catering and for convention set-ups and take-downs (displays, booths, etc.) if it's going to be on a new artificial island west of Ontario Place, almost everyone will be coming in on chartered buses from the hotels downtown or drive in and need parking.

Absolutely bonkers.

 

[WB62]

Somehow Redditors have come up with a worse idea than a new artificial island

 

[kotsy]

In sum, file this entire idea under tunnel under the 401 fantasy nonsense.

Each idea if dumber than the next.

 

[StreetcarRider]

Where's your sense of ambition?

Why not a tunnel under the 401, that loops down under the 427 and the DVP and then under the Harbour with its new artificial island?

The tunnel itself wouldn't have cars, of course, only a Mag-Lev Train and the world's largest convention centre and underground windowless hotel!

The Ferris Wheel could be boarded on the island, but instead of going up, it would go down allowing a view of the inner harbour from underneath as the glass enclosed cars descend beneath the earth and allow for an exit at the new Mag-Lev Station.

The Train will also connect the world's largest glow-in-the-dark under-water bowling alley, which will be full licensed and feature an adjacent spa.

This plan is genius except for one thing: what about Marineland? It needs a new home too, right? /s

 

[Thaboss]

for the curious ..
this is what 2mln sf of contiguous exhibition space would look ilike withn the EX context:

View attachment 719605

Holly crap. That is HUGE

I think ford is fully in the..idc about relection mode...and into, imma leave a legacy behind mode.

As kendrick said "Sometimes you gotta pop out and show n!@$#s Certified boogeyman, I'm the one that upped the score with 'em"


Me thinks this CONSERVATIVE govt is about to release a nasty deficit and wants to shock and awe us into look the other way.

 

[CapitalSeven]

Of course the genius of Thug's scheme is obvious. The dirt from the 401 tunnel is dumped offshore building Ford Island. And it solves the problem of where the Ontario Line should go next.

 

[rdaner]

How about a new island for the airport and a new convention centre and nifty Copenhagen/Hamburg style neighbourhood where BB is now?

On a more serious note I do know that the CEO of Oxford sees the rebuilding of MTCC as a potential crown jewel/legacy project.

But a few points:
•land reclamation has been common and continues
•we have plenty of fill
•a one stop extension of the OL would provide direct transit
•could double as a cruise ship terminal

 

[Red October]

Of course the genius of Thug's scheme is obvious. The dirt from the 401 tunnel is dumped offshore building Ford Island. And it solves the problem of where the Ontario Line should go next.

Instead we could build an island, drop Ford and all his cronies on it, then wall it off and isolate it forever.

Worked for me in Roller Coaster Tycoon with any unhappy guests I wanted to punish.

 

[Thaboss]

How about a new island for the airport and a new convention centre and nifty Copenhagen/Hamburg style neighbourhood where BB is now?

On a more serious note I do know that the CEO of Oxford sees the rebuilding of MTCC as a potential crown jewel/legacy project.

But a few points:
•land reclamation has been common and continues
•we have plenty of fill
•a one stop extension of the OL would provide direct transit
•could double as a cruise ship terminal

Given that in the contract between thermia or whatever they're called and ontario there is a legal requirement for the province to connect the building with some kind of transit, I've been half expecting ontario line to be extended there.

Also, with how unrealisticly high those projections are for usage of the spa, adding a massive convention center is sure to aid in that goal.

I'm not sure at all of the feasibility of all this. But I imagine given that ontario line will be above ground at the terminus station, an exstention to ontario place doesn’t seem insane, afterall, what is 2 billion to this govt anyway...they'll sign the contract and probably be voted out halfway through construction anyway.

In my head, its all starting to add up.


How do you know that a convention center is the CEOs passion project ?

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...I think Doug is sniffing glue at this point in his career. >.<

 

[reinventingthewheel]

In my head, its all starting to add up.

Let’s revise…

Given that in the contract between thermia or whatever they're called and ontario there is a legal requirement for the province to connect the building with some kind of transit, I've been half expecting ontario line to be extended there.

Nowhere in the lease has the province agreed to such a thing, nothing remotely close. Take a look for yourself: IO - Ontario Place Therme Canada Lease

Also, with how unrealisticly high those projections are for usage of the spa, adding a massive convention center is sure to aid in that goal.

The province’s return on this project is sales tax (8%) and rent (rate adjusted based on fair market appraisal). The monetary benefits would never outweigh the costs of propping up Therme to reach their (rather unrealistic) targets.

I'm not sure at all of the feasibility of all this. But I imagine given that ontario line will be above ground at the terminus station, an exstention to ontario place doesn’t seem insane, afterall, what is 2 billion to this govt anyway...they'll sign the contract and probably be voted out halfway through construction anyway.

I get that this is a bit tongue in cheek, but it’s an awful, awful idea. Based on where the tail tracks will already be laid out and required clearances crossing over LSW, the extension would need to be about 1250m to reach a destination about half that distance by foot from the current terminus.
More importantly, it would force a dead-end to a relatively short subway route out of the downtown core – it has so much more potential.