Toronto Esports Performance Venue and Hotel | 112.23m | 30s | OverActive | Populous

A little over a year ago they said they hoped to start construction by October (2022). They seem to have gone silent for many months, and the only somewhat related recent news item I see is about the CEO of OverActive Media stepping down.
The article refers to some turbulence within Esports at the moment generally… but in this particular cases, no reason other than "left to pursue another interest" is stated. I don't think it's beyond the pale to speculate that not having been able to secure investment for the plans here may have prompted the exit.

42
 
Has anyone heard or seen any news on this subject in the last year? I assume there must be some sort of expiry date to OverActive Media's deal with the city when it becomes apparent that they can't or won't be able to build anything?
 
Ya, i hope this dies. This was a trojan horse project, using esports as a gimmick to push through a terrible hotel on exhibition lands. The city needs to smarten up, especially after Hotel X next door, complete disaster.
 
@officedweller I had to see what this was about. Seems to be on par with esports.


The SoFi Center is a nearly 250,000-square-foot venue that will house nearly 2,000 people at the Palm Beach Gardens Campus of Palm Beach State College. The air-supported dome is 75 feet high and covers the entire playing surface (97 yards by 50 yards). The hitting screen is 46 feet by 64 feet, roughly 20 times larger than a standard simulator screen. The venue also features a 40-yard-wide short game complex with three dynamic putting surfaces on a larger 3,800-square-foot putting surface. And don’t forget the three sand bunkers.

IMG_4607.jpeg


IMG_4613.jpeg


IMG_4612.jpeg


IMG_4611.jpeg
 
Ya, i hope this dies. This was a trojan horse project, using esports as a gimmick to push through a terrible hotel on exhibition lands. The city needs to smarten up, especially after Hotel X next door, complete disaster.

Not sure it's fair to call this a trojan horse.
e-Sports is pretty huge globally, and still growing. Just google e-Sports tournaments in S.Korea where they fill football stadiums with it. We aren't quite at that point, but there is absolutely the potential to build dedicated venues for e-Sports in a city of Toronto's size.
 
I hope this stupid canard is *so* dead...
Ya, i hope this dies... The city needs to smarten up...
I don't understand how fantasy proposals (20,000-seat arena in Markham, Nascar speedway in Fort Erie, Titanic museum in Niagara Falls, etc.) get any attention from anyone, particularly politicians who should know better. The first and most important question the proponents should be asked is "Do you have the money to build this?", and if the answer is anything other than a firm "yes", they should be ignored, or at least be told to go away and don't come back until they do have the money.
 
Not sure it's fair to call this a trojan horse.
e-Sports is pretty huge globally, and still growing. Just google e-Sports tournaments in S.Korea where they fill football stadiums with it. We aren't quite at that point, but there is absolutely the potential to build dedicated venues for e-Sports in a city of Toronto's size.
So test the market with more competitions in existing facilities. Why does this need an expensive, dedicated, new-build, stadium right out of the gate? I know the ACC has hosted a couple of one-off events that were indeed very successful, but is there enough consistent, long-term, interest to support a year-round facility for this stuff?
 
So test the market with more competitions in existing facilities. Why does this need an expensive, dedicated, new-build, stadium right out of the gate? I know the ACC has hosted a couple of one-off events that were indeed very successful, but is there enough consistent, long-term, interest to support a year-round facility for this stuff?
This isn't "right out of the gate". Esports has been growing since 2000, and we've had teams in Toronto since 2018.
They have competitions in existing facilities. The one at the ACC sold out in less than a day. They just finished a summer 4 day tournament at the Mattamy, which they did in 2022 as well.

What metric are you looking for to determine that this would be successful?
 
This isn't "right out of the gate". Esports has been growing since 2000, and we've had teams in Toronto since 2018.
They have competitions in existing facilities. The one at the ACC sold out in less than a day. They just finished a summer 4 day tournament at the Mattamy, which they did in 2022 as well.

What metric are you looking for to determine that this would be successful?

One simple metric - they can't come up with the money to get it built.

AoD
 
I'll admit, I kinda like the design where they where going with this. But it needs to be more than an e-sport venue or for something else that's actually needed...

...or it's going to be a waste of a lot of time, money and resources if this thing ever gets off the ground. Also see: White elephant.
 

Back
Top