Rate Winnipegs New Investors Group Field Stadium

[The Unknown Poster]

Leo???? Are you kidding?

Ill hand it to him, he's done a good job of making people think he's a big time corporation that can handle building a $200 million stadium for 12 events a year. Didnt they have trouble bringing together the required funding for a $14 million water park? Was never going to happen. That was a PR move.

My understanding (correct me if I am wong) is part of the Golf land is to be a dedicated transit loop. That will be huge for IGF (sort of distant from the main part of campus though). I really hope they are smart and forward-thinking with that land. They need parking but they could really create some revenue generating business. I always hear people talk about that land as being against IGF or University Cres but its right along Pembina HWY too. Prime land, no?

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

Leo???? Are you kidding?

Ill hand it to him, he's done a good job of making people think he's a big time corporation that can handle building a $200 million stadium for 12 events a year. Didnt they have trouble bringing together the required funding for a $14 million water park? Was never going to happen. That was a PR move.

My understanding (correct me if I am wong) is part of the Golf land is to be a dedicated transit loop. That will be huge for IGF (sort of distant from the main part of campus though). I really hope they are smart and forward-thinking with that land. They need parking but they could really create some revenue generating business. I always hear people talk about that land as being against IGF or University Cres but its right along Pembina HWY too. Prime land, no?

And the Asper deal was just so great he now owns the team and stadium...

I don't really want to get into this again. The stadiums built, I like it. I'll enjoy attending for the next 50 years. Just my thoughts...

[The Unknown Poster]

Leo's plan was never going to lead to anything. It was a pie in the sky PR move.

Asper's plan DID lead to something. It's called IGF.

[bomberjet]

Until they finally realized to boot his ass out because he is full of shit. Must have been hard for all his buddies on the board.

[The Unknown Poster]

Except that isn't what happened. Dont know what it is about Winnipeg that makes people hate all wealthy and/or successful people.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

Except that isn't what happened. Dont know what it is about Winnipeg that makes people hate all wealthy and/or successful people.

I don't hate the fact they're wealthy or successful, good for them. I hate the old boys club that is the wealthy folks. See Sam, Phil and Shindico down at city hall. They're all buddies with Apser and Watchorn. Just one big screw up the cities ass.

So why did Asper "sell" his stadium design to the province?

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

Except that isn't what happened. Dont know what it is about Winnipeg that makes people hate all wealthy and/or successful people.

Actually think we have the opposite problem when it comes to the influence of wealthy people in our city/region. More likely to be bootlickers than critical thinkers.

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I don't hate the fact they're wealthy or successful, good for them. I hate the old boys club that is the wealthy folks. See Sam, Phil and Shindico down at city hall. They're all buddies with Apser and Watchorn. Just one big screw up the cities ass.

So why did Asper "sell" his stadium design to the province?

Interesting that even with Asper's involvement none of the usual protocol for public projects was followed, and make no mistake, even if Asper hadn't of flaked out, this project would be almost completely taxpayer funded. At least we can be entertained by years of litigation to come.

[trueviking]

Ledehowski's proposal was not a PR stunt I can promise you that....he was legit....except he needed it to be overwhelmingly paid for by the government, just like asper did.....asper was never going to put a cent of his own money into it....he may or may not have more money than leo does but that did not make his plan any more feasible....leo had a better location.

i cant stand when people give asper any credit for this stadium.....he was the cause of a huge number of the cost overruns...he was the reason the building was not competitively tendered...he is the reason we got an architect who had never done even a high school sports field.

asper screwed us all....he sold us all a bill of goods and then by the time we realized it, it was too late and now we are all on the hook for it.....and the story isnt over....in my opinion this will be an albatros around the bomber's neck.....the province will eventually take over their $100m loan and will have to pay the $40m cost overruns caused by asper and his crew.

i have a hard time believing that the bombers who used to celebrate annual profits of $200k have increased their revenue enough to pay back a $100m loan and the massive cost overruns which are not even public yet...yeah they solved the traffic issue, but it costs them $100-150k per game to do it....you cant tell me that was part of the budget.

mark my words, they will come hat in hand looking for big dollars from us very soon.

[hexrae]

Originally Posted by trueviking

i have a hard time believing that the bombers who used to celebrate annual profits of $200k have increased their revenue enough to pay back a $100m loan and the massive cost overruns which are not even public yet...yeah they solved the traffic issue, but it costs them $100-150 per game to do it....you cant tell me that was part of the budget.

The new, albeit relatively short, TV deal with TSN was likely not part of the budget either. Link 1 Link 2

Hopefully we see continued growth of the league and even more money put up by TSN over the years.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

Didnt they have trouble bringing together the required funding for a $14 million water park? Was never going to happen. That was a PR move.
?

the waterpark failed because the business plan didn't work, not because of funding...there was no payback on the cost of construction with projected revenues....this is why nobody has built a waterpark in this city, even with government handouts to entice them.

Leo just completed a $35m hotel at HSC, has a $45m one about to go into the ground at McPhillips casino....both with ZERO public money.

say what you want about Leo, but I personally wish we had 10 more of him in this city....he gets things done like few others....his stadium plan was as achievable as aspers...his track record is far better.

what has david asper ever built?.....has he ever built something worth even 1/3 of either of those projects?...what makes him any more legit?....he had a proposed building that never happened....he might be building one now equal to one canadinns project.....maybe.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by hexrae

The new, albeit relatively short, TV deal with TSN was likely not part of the budget either. Link 1 Link 2

Hopefully we see continued growth of the league and even more money put up by TSN over the years.

helps for sure....but the bombers are a small time operation....they lose a million, make a million each year....i will be shocked if the revenues have jumped enough to make it work long term.....the tv revenue adds a couple million to the bottom line, but traffic management adds $1.5m....its all razor thin if you ask me....

[Bdog]

^Let's not forget ticket prices nearly doubled.

[trueviking]

did they?....mine didnt....i pay $40 a game in the end zone which was similar to what i paid in section S last year....there are more suites and things for sure.

i agree that revenues have gone up but their costs have gone up exponentially....we will see i guess.

[Migs]

Winnipegs got a great news stadium, can't wait to see it in person in a couple weeks. Nicest outdoor stadium in Canada until 2017.

[trueviking]

commonwealth is nicer.

[jmt18325]

Visually, not even close.

[hexrae]

Originally Posted by trueviking

did they?....mine didnt....i pay $40 a game in the end zone which was similar to what i paid in section S last year....there are more suites and things for sure.

i agree that revenues have gone up but their costs have gone up exponentially....we will see i guess.

Section S at Canad Inns is hardly end zone seating at IGF. I think I paid around $12 a seat in '07 and upwards of $19 a seat in the last season in the North End Zone.

I don't have the Canad Inns pricing available, but if you wanted equivalent Section S seats today it'd cost you $84 loonies.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by trueviking

did they?....mine didnt....i pay $40 a game in the end zone which was similar to what i paid in section S last year....there are more suites and things for sure.

Yeah, that's a bit of an exaggeration on my part haha. It's probably closer to a 3rd more for most sections I'm guessing. But yeah, with the boxes, etc. added this year, it should be interesting to see how much gate revenues actually increase this year.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Visually, not even close.

Agreed. Commonwealth is way more beautiful.