Hamilton Tiger-Cats looking at possible move to Burlington

The mayor of Hamilton says he doesn’t blame the city’s CFL team for looking at a possible move to nearby Burlington, Ont.

Bob Bratina says it "hurts to think of the team moving," but adds city councillors who thought the Tiger-Cats where bluffing about relocating can see the team is serious.

Ticat officials have met with Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring and a developer to investigate a possible stadium just east of the Aldershot GO Transit station.

The stadium would serve the 2015 Pan Am Games and then be the new home of the Tiger-Cats.

The meeting came after Hamilton city council voted last week not to consider the team’s favoured location of Confederation Park for a stadium to replace the aging Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Tiger-Cats president Scott Mitchell confirmed Tuesday that the football franchise is examining potential sites in Burlington.

"We have spent almost one year working with the City of Hamilton to find a suitable location for a ‘legacy’ stadium that would house Pan American soccer games and become the new home of the Tiger-Cats, with no success," Mitchell said in a statement.

Mitchell said the Aldershot property is three kilometres from Hamilton and is convenient for fans.

"We believe the proposed Aldershot location, being on the municipal boundary of Hamilton and Burlington … will satisfy HostCo’s requirements for soccer," Mitchell said.

Goldring plans to ask Burlington city staff on Jan. 6 to prepare a report on the stadium project.

Hamilton councillors have until Feb. 1 to notify the 2015 Pan Am organizing committee about their stadium plans.

"The ball is still in Hamilton’s court," Bratina said.

Ian Troop, Pan Am organizing committee CEO, said Burlington officials need to have their plan together by Feb. 1 as well.

And he said Burlington’s stadium proposal would have to meet the same criteria used for Hamilton.

Mississauga, Brampton and Markham have also shown interest in building a stadium, Troop said.

Mitchell called the situation a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"The British Empire Games provided the same stimulus for the construction of what is now Ivor Wynne Stadium almost 80 years ago," he said.

"Our goal remains to keep the franchise in this community and we are working hard to do that," Mitchell added.