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Hamilton's Mayor Bob Bratia said during the annoucement that Hamilton now needs to bid for the Commonwealth Games.

Watch the stadium design reveal live here.... http://www.livestream.com/thespec

Just a few hours until the stadium design reveal. Ugh I hope it's good, better be worth it after all the bull crap.

Media Advisory - Design Announcement for Hamilton's Brand New Stadium http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1049717/media-advisory-design-announcement-for-hamilton-s-brand-new-stadium TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - What: The TORONTO 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) and its partners will announce the funding and design details for the sole soccer venue for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games—the new Ivor Wynne Stadium. Media will have an opportunity to interview officials regarding the facility following the news conference. Who: TO2015, joined by officials from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Hamilton, will make the announcement on the current stadium's field. When: Friday, October 12, 2012 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Where: Ivor Wynne Stadium Please use the Melrose Avenue entrance Hamilton, ON

The stadium design has been delayed again, mid October. The stadium won't look like the above, that was mentioned in the Spec as an example. Apparently from someone who works with the RFP process the stadium won't have any roof, no end zone seating, lots of washrooms and better concession stands. Basically a souped up version of the BMO.

At Supercrawl in Hamilton this weekend.....

CBC nabs host broadcaster spot for TO2015 Pan Am games. Canadian broadcaster and producer for worldwide distribution.

Right after the Ti Cat's 2012 season, so this November.

Hamilton's stadium design/plan will be unveiled on September 26th at 10am. There will be a special ceremony at City Hall.

Hamilton won't even touch the baseball/softball proposal from the Pan Am committee, council voted no this evening.

Hamilton invited to make pitch for Pan Am baseball field http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/680389--hamilton-invited-to-make-pitch-for-pan-am-baseball-field If Hamilton wants it, this city could host the baseball and softball competitions during the 2015 Pan Am Games. A letter sent to the mayor’ office yesterday from the Pan Am committee says the sport could be ours if we can provide appropriate places to hold the competition. This would require upgrading some existing facilities and maybe even building some new ones. But the reception to the idea was cool at best. Based on the way some councilors – still smarting from the endless and painful stadium and velodrome sagas – blanched at the idea when it was mentioned at city hall this morning, this would have to be seen as an extreme longshot right now. “I think you can hear the expressions of not doubt, but concern, that we may be going down an expensive path,” Mayor Bob Bratina said. “Nobody is going to, I don’t think, approve any large expenditure. But we don’t know what the site requirements are or what our participation would involve. So all we need is to find that out.” The discussion began in response to a March 1 letter from Murray Noble of the Pan Am committee inviting the city to consider putting together a facility that would include a baseball stadium with 8,000-10,000 seats, a secondary facility with 1,500, a main softball stadium that could hold as many as 6,000 and a secondary field with a capacity of 1,000. The total price tag cited could be as high as $13 million with the city responsible for 44 per cent, or $5.72 million. However, some already asked if Bernie Arbour Stadium, Turner Field and the diamonds behind Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster could be used with temporary seating, keeping costs to a minimum. The letter says a binding agreement with the city must be signed by July 31 if it’s interested. “It could be so far out of the park that it’s not even worth talking about,” Bratina said. “All I can say is if there’s an opportunity for someone else to have us upgrade the facilities we have, and if there’s a possibility of getting a premier attraction – Pan Am baseball – then it’s worth considering.” Others sounded disinclined to open the door even a crack. “I think our community has had it,” said Councillor Tom Jackson. “Please tread very carefully on this baseball-softball opportunity.” The issue will be introduced for formal discussion at council on Tuesday. Canada won the last Pan Am Games baseball gold medal, beating the U.S 2-1 in Guadalajara. Canada took silver in softball, losing 11-1 to the States in the final.

Yesterday was the deadline for a funding agreement for Milton to have the velodrome. Haven't heard a single news about it.

Velodrome update coming soon: Bratina http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/651957--velodrome-update-coming-soon-bratina City council could hear the details of a mystery Pan Am velodrome proposal from local fundraisers in the next few days, Mayor Bob Bratina said Monday. Sources told The Spectator in late December that a private corporation is willing to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to a permanent indoor cycling oval in Hamilton — even though Pan Am officials recently announced Milton as the facility host. Milton has until Jan. 24 to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million. Bratina, who alluded to a local benefactor in a year-end radio interview, told councillors at Monday’s general issues committee meeting a “serious proposal may be coming forward in the next day or two.” The mayor didn’t elaborate on the source or amount of the mystery money, other than to say it’s “significant.” If the proposal comes together, he said, the local campaign cabinet formed in October will advise council this week. The Spectator couldn’t reach a representative from the fundraising group Monday. Pan Am officials announced late last year that Milton has replaced Hamilton as the site of the indoor cycling venue, pending a binding agreement. Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz told The Spectator he believed his council would have to decline the velodrome before Hamilton could get back in the race. But in answer to councillors’ questions, Bratina said Hamilton has never been officially “excluded” from the velodrome bidding process by Games organizers. “Milton is making some statements about where they feel they are in the process … but it’s not up to Milton, it’s up to (Pan Am organizers) to make a final decision,” he said.

Went down hill when Jagoda Pike and David Peterson left. Jagoda should've gotten the job. Dealt with three previous bids and former President of Torstar.

I'd rather build permanent sporting venues that pumps out medal standing atheles even though others would consider it a white elephant than a $2.6 billion athletes village used for a few weeks.

I believe the village was built way out in the outskirts of Guadalajara. Shouldn't be difficult to find accommodations for the athletes in a more urban setting of Toronto. Either way $2.6 billion of public money is a ridiculous sum of money for a single housing project, kill it or scale it down. Use the money as it was intended for, building sporting venues that Canada, especially Ontario, clearly needs. There isn't a single international sized Velodrome in Canada and it looks like it could turn into a temporary venue.

So now the athletes village is pegged at $2.6 billion? Have there ever been a time when a brand new athletes village has been built for the Pan Am Games before? Scrap it and have the athletes reside in the empty student dormitory during the Summer. Or scale down the athletes village, could probably save a billion. The athletes village must account for about half of the 2015 Pan Am Games expense.

Silent funder might inflate velodrome hopes http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/645715--silent-funder-might-inflate-velodrome-hopes A major funding boost is putting Hamilton back in the race for the Pan Am velodrome, say cycling supporters. The Spectator has learned a private corporation is willing to make a major financial commitment to the indoor cycling oval. While officials remain tight-lipped and have yet to make a public announcement, sources suggest the funding injection would be large enough to breathe new life into Hamilton’s campaign to land the world-class cycling facility. “All I can say is it would be a sizeable help if it comes through,” said Gord Singleton, a former cycling world champion who joined the local velodrome fundraising campaign in the fall. Singleton said he’s been told not to discuss the source or amount of the mystery money, but Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina said in a radio interview Friday an “interested prospective partner” has surfaced and “several million dollars is being talked about.” “We’re not out of the game yet in regards to the velodrome,” he said in the interview. That was news to Milton Councillor Mike Cluett. Pan Am officials appeared to rule out Hamilton as a velodrome site earlier this month when they announced Milton as the preferred host pending the signing of a funding agreement by Jan. 24. “Milton will have to decline (the velodrome) before Hamilton would ever be considered,” said Cluett via email. “Mayor Bratina now realizes that with all (council’s) dithering around they lost the opportunity … Hamilton had many opportunities but didn’t get the job done.” The Spectator couldn’t reach a Pan Am official Tuesday to comment on whether a beefed-up Hamilton bid would be considered. Hamilton started out as the preferred velodrome location but lost that status in October after Pan Am officials rejected the city’s $5-million offer towards a facility that could cost $45 million. Milton plans to commit even less taxpayer cash to the facility, but has announced close to $9 million in private pledges from firms and foundations headed by Mattamy Homes president Peter Gilgan. Singleton said he thought the secret funding boost under discussion locally could “swing the momentum back” to Hamilton, noting the Milton bid and funding sources aren’t finalized. News of the funding boost had yet to widely circulate at City Hall Tuesday. Several councillors said they were unaware the extra funding had been secured, while others said they weren’t pleased to learn of the project’s resurrection. “I believe this unaffordable velodrome is an unfortunate expense and cost to the residents of Hamilton,” said Councillor Sam Merulla. “Milton is geographically close enough for Hamilton residents to access without having to spend $5 million.” The Spectator couldn’t reach Bratina Tuesday for additional information about the mystery funding. His chief of staff, Peggy Chapman, said the mayor wouldn’t be available for an interview until January. Mark Chamberlain, the chair of the fundraising cabinet, didn’t respond to requests for an interview Tuesday. Vocal campaign cabinet member Andrew Iler wouldn’t confirm or deny the donation report, but said the group hasn’t given up on winning the velodrome and continues to chase donations big and small. The fundraising cabinet, which includes several high-profile cyclists such as Singleton, Curt Harnett and Clara Hughes, announced earlier this month it had raised more than $1 million through smaller donations.

The Mayor of Hamilton leaked out during an interview that Queen's Park will announce funding for all day GO Train service to Hamilton, this alone is worth nearly $1 billion. It'll be built before the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Hamilton's contribution is still available and the biggest from the lot.

Milton council was supposed to consider a report on the Pan Am velodrome tonight. Just anounced it has been put off.

Vaughan has dropped out of the reluctant race to host a velodrome. Milton will decide tonight. Either way Milton will provide less contribution than Hamilton.

Pan Am velodrome host hard to find The race to replace Hamilton as the host of a Pan Am velodrome is running out of contenders, even as Games organizers extend the deadline. Pan Am officials rejected a Hamilton offer in October of $5 million toward a permanent indoor cycling track, which provincial officials estimate could cost $45 million. Other GTA municipalities such as Mississauga, Milton and Vaughan were given the chance to get in the Games — providing they signed on the dotted line by Nov. 30. Pan Am spokesperson Elissa Freeman wouldn’t comment on the velodrome deadline Tuesday, but municipal reports from both Vaughan and Milton indicate organizers are willing to extend the deadline into December. By default, Hamilton still appears to be in the running. Mississauga opted out in October. A Vaughan staff report due to be discussed Dec. 5 recommends bowing out of the velodrome sweepstakes “given the short time-frame … the significant capital commitment and the desire not to increase the property tax burden.” Milton is still interested, said Councillor Mike Cluett, but “if the numbers don’t add up for us at the end of the day, we’re willing to walk way,” he said. “We still have some questions we’ve asked (Pan Am) to address.” One of those questions is whether Pan Am will agree to a cheaper facility. Milton voted last week to continue negotiating with Pan Am, but won’t commit until organizers comment “on the potential to reduce the overall capital cost” of the velodrome. Hamilton councillors also expressed disbelief at the provincial cost estimate of $35 million to $45 million. That would have left local taxpayers on the hook for up to $22 million, because host municipalities are expected to cover 44 per cent of new building costs. Infrastructure Ontario officials wouldn’t budge on the estimate. Milton’s staff report actually pitches a smaller taxpayer contribution of up to $3.8 million. Hamilton offered $5 million. But Milton staff believe the town could reap up to $8.7 million in naming rights for the facility. Andrew Iler is hoping the lack of interest — and cash offers — from other municipalities will convince Pan Am to take a second look at Hamilton. “I think what we’re seeing (in other cities) shows Hamilton has been diligent in its research,” said Iler, a member of a fundraising committee that has collected about $1 million in community pledges to help convince city council to fatten its velodrome funding offer. “There are risks involved, but this can be a good investment.”

Cash promises rolling in for Hamilton’s lost velodrome http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/627417--cash-promises-rolling-in-for-hamilton-s-lost-velodrome Never-say-die cycling fans are closing in on $1 million in pledges for a Hamilton velodrome city council turned down more than a month ago. The city had the inside track to host the Pan Am cycling facility until October, when TO2015 organizers rejected council’s offer of $5 million toward a project that could cost $45 million. Organizers have since offered Milton and Vaughan the chance to buy in. That hasn’t stopped a last-ditch effort by local fundraisers to convince Pan Am and city council to keep the indoor cycling track in Hamilton. “Nothing is dead until it’s dead,” said businessman and veteran fundraiser Mark Chamberlain, who chairs the star-studded “campaign cabinet” that formed just days before council opted not to commit the $22 million required by Pan Am to build a velodrome in Hamilton. “We’re working hard to show there is community support for this, and we’re having some success. We’re hoping the city will see this public interest and … potentially increase its contribution.” Chamberlain said the cabinet, which includes well-known cyclists such as Clara Hughes and Steve Bauer, has already drummed up more than $500,000 in private pledges. A web-based pledge form — it solicits promises, not cash — was posted about a week ago at http://svy.mk/tWmGxA. Chamberlain said the total could hit $1 million by next week. He hopes the promised cash will convince councillors the community fundraising goal of $8 million “is very doable” over the next five years. “I’m a business guy. I know it’s hard to commit to a project when you have no clue what the final cost will be,” he said. “We want to show them a solid private commitment that will help mitigate the risk.” They’re running out of time to make a case. The interested municipalities have until Nov. 30 to sign a “binding agreement” to pay 44 per cent of the cost of a permanent velodrome. The city hasn’t pulled its offer off the table, but it remains to be seen whether councillors want to revisit the velodrome debate. Councillor Brian McHattie withdrew a notice of motion earlier this week calling for the city to double its velodrome commitment using cash from the sale of city-owned west harbour lands. Councillor Bernie Morelli has suggested using part or all of the $5-million velodrome commitment, pulled from the Future Fund, to pay for neighbourhood improvements around the soon-to-be-rebuilt Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Monday's council session should be interesting. If Hamilton council supports it they'll be a national fundraiser with Clara Hughes to raise $10 million by Feb 2012 (that's when the final price tag will be known) and Hamilton will add another $5 million to the pot by selling the West Harbour land. http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/571B801C-29BA-412A-B7E1-FB52E8639805/0/Nov14EDRMS_n231632_v1_10_3__Notice_of_Motion__Pan_Am_Games_Vel.pdf