New Markham arena proposal 100% dead

[mikecubs]

Markham arena proposal still missing, declared dead

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Neil deMause


This happened a while back, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging: Remember how Markham’s crazy arena plan was pretty much killed last December, when the city council sent it back to the drawing board for further study? Well, apparently it’s now completely dead, thanks to the developer in charge of it disappearing off the face of the earth:


In the summer, staff confirmed that they were no longer in touch with Graeme Roustan, the arena’s chief promoter, and the project was officially over.


“We never heard from him again,” said Joe Li, who is running for a second term as regional councillor and was one of the first to oppose the financial plan for the arena.

Yeah, that would have gone well if they’d gone ahead with it. Now somebody just tell Howard Bloom that there’s not going to be a place for a second Toronto team to play.

www.fieldofschemes.com/2014/10/09/7973/markham-arena-proposal-still-missing-declared-dead/#comments

[mikecubs]

NHL-ready arena plan dead but not forgotten by Markham voters

One legacy of the stillborn project is skepticism about the city council’s transparency and accountability.


Although the plans for an NHL-sized arena in Markham have been officially sidelined, the project is still a top election issue for the city’s voters.


“The arena fiasco has essentially become the poster child for everything that is wrong with the municipal government in Markham,” said Stephen Kotyck, a mayoral candidate. There are four other candidates vying to replace Frank Scarpitti in the mayor’s seat.


“The public are angry. I have never seen an angrier public then the one we have now,” said Kotyck, who ran in the last two elections.


“I would say the biggest issues of this election are transparency and accountability.”


Last December, city councillors voted to shelve the $325-million arena project after a marathon meeting that saw hundreds of residents voicing their concerns over the public-private funding plan for the project.


In the summer, staff confirmed that they were no longer in touch with Graeme Roustan, the arena’s chief promoter, and the project was officially over.


“We never heard from him again,” said Joe Li, who is running for a second term as regional councillor and was one of the first to oppose the financial plan for the arena. “People are still concerned that council will re-visit it again. If that happens, one thing is clear: the taxpayer will not be on the hook.”


“People tell me I should take more credit for taking a stand. They say, if it (wasn’t) for me, the arena would be being built,” said Li.


Li says residents are concerned about rising taxes, transit and seeing that the chair of York Region becomes an elected position in 2018. He wants to implement technology such as digital next-vehicle displays at all bus and train stops to “restore confidence to commuters.”


He also pledges to do whatever he can to keep Markham fiscally responsible. “People are seeing wasteful spending across the GTA, and watching us to see if we are doing the same.”


Kotyck says the residents want to see closure on the arena matter, including how much the city spent, in both staff time and consultants, on the project. They also want to see that consultant’s reports councillors used to vote on the project.


“We need to see those reports before the 27th, so we could know if certain people of council were running in the people’s best interest or their own interest,” said Kotyck.


Scarpitti was one of the few on council who supported the arena project until the very end. He believed an arena would have brought a new spirit to downtown Markham.


He is running for his third term as mayor. He first joined council in 1985. The mayor did not respond to several attempts to reach him to discuss his platform.


Del Silvestri, who is running Scarpitti’s campaign, says staff and volunteers have strict orders not to talk to media.


Scarpitti’s campaign website touts many of his achievements, including a low tax rate, increasing recreation facilities and enhanced transit in the city.


“In this election, I am asking Markham residents to look closely at what Council achieved during the last term ... to look at the facts,” he writes on the front page of his website. “I believe that RESULTS should always speak louder than rhetoric.”


There is little information on what he plans to achieve if re-elected.

www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/toronto2014election/2014/10/08/nhlready_arena_plan_dead_but_not_forgotten_by_markham_voters.html

[wolfmannick]

I think eventually Toronto will get a 2nd NHL team. But if it does happen it'll take a better buisness plan to get one there. What the hell happneed to that guy lol

[mikecubs]

He was a crook the city council caught on to his scam so he disappeared.

I don't think Toronto ever gets a 2nd team. If I'm wrong at best it will be in Kitchner-Waterloo which is part of the Golden Horseshoe. No way do they put a team near Buffalo or right in MLSE's immediate back yard.

[wolfmannick]

^ OK I will more specific lol. I think Greater Ontario will one day get a 2nd NHL team. Just too big of a hockey market for the NHL to pass up. Easily land a ton of money for an expansion team and it would do extreamly well.