Hamilton city staff are recommending that no major renovations be done to FirstOntario Centre.
A report that goes before politicians on Wednesday, April 5, suggests that no action be taken on either of the two options for big ticket upgrades at the downtown rink.
One option is a $68-million “remodelling” of the lower bowl. The second is a $252-million full-scale reno that would turn the 17,000 seat arena into an “NHL quality” facility.
“I’m not quite sure why we’ve been putting this much effort into this,” Ward 4 Coun. Sam Merulla recently told a meeting of the general issues committee. “The sooner we kill this, the better. So we can focus on other priorities.”
Mayor Fred Eisenberger, on the other hand, insists they can’t just ignore the problem.
“Letting the arena deteriorate and not continuing to invest in it is demolition by neglect, quite frankly,” Eisenberger said.
He adds that there could be federal, provincial and private sector funding opportunities.
Copps Coliseum was “NHL ready” when it first opened in 1985. Now it’s considered “too big” for the AHL and OHL hockey clubs that have acted as anchor tenants.
Hamilton and the Bulldogs were passed over by the Canadian Hockey League in its bid to host the 2018 Memorial Cup, in part because of its aging and outdated arena.
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