'Can you tell I am excited?' Hamilton Bulldogs moving to Brantford
'Can you tell I am excited?' Hamilton Bulldogs moving to Brantford
City of Brantford councillor Richard Carpenter asked representatives from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) if they could tell he was excited while wearing a hockey jersey in council chambers Tuesday night.
“Can you tell I am excited?" he asked the chambers as a debate about the move of the Hamilton Bulldogs to Brantford got underway.
Carpenter, along with the rest of Brantford city council, voted unanimously to temporarily move the Hamilton Bulldogs to a new location and rename them the Brantford Bulldogs.
The relocation will be for a minimum of three years while the First Ontario Centre in Hamilton undergoes major renovations.
Council heard a presentation from city staff who recommended the move.
"We have a once in a generation opportunity to show not only the hockey world, but those doubters out there in the rest of the province and the country, that we are a city of winners," said Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis.
Three members of the Bulldogs organization, franchise owner Michael Andlauer, general manager Matt Turek and vice-president of business operations Jeff Elia were all present to answer questions.
"This city is much different than it was 40 years ago and I truly believe that the OHL belongs in Brantford," said Andlauer. "You have teamed up with the right team, the right ownership, and the right passion."
It's official - the Bulldogs are coming to #Brantford! At their meeting held tonight, Brantford Council unanimously approved an agreement with the OHL @HAMbulldogs that will see the team relocated to Brantford & rebranded as the “Brantford Bulldogs.” More: https://t.co/myXkDSVyXhpic.twitter.com/fZv3umg93Y
The agreement states the Bulldogs will be in Brantford for at least three years with the potential of three additional one-year extensions which can be added on.
“When I put this out to my constitutes, there wasn’t a negative comment to find,” Carpenter added. "I've never had such a response at any time in my life, quite frankly – positve or negative."
Many councillors spoke about their excitement, and readiness to attend games.
UPGRADES NEEDED IN BRANTFORD
The Brantford Civic Centre, built in 1967, will be the team's new home and will need some upgrades in order to "meet fan, players and OHL standards."
An estimated cost for those upgrades is $7.5 million.
The Bulldogs will cover $4.5 million for general arena upgrades ranging from a new scoreboard, new dasher board glass, new lighting, as well as upgraded washrooms and concessions.
The City of Brantford will cover the remaining $3 million for the upgrades, which will cover most of a new HVAC system, something the city says required an upgrade anyways. Staff stated the current system is running on electric radiant heat.
City Staff will pay the $3 million price tag with funds from the "casino legacy reserve,” which is made up of revenue Elements Casino shares with the municipality, meaning no taxpayer money will be used under the agreement with the Bulldogs.
A staff report presented to council also stated that nearly $4.5 million could be pumped into the local economy annually thanks to players and fans who would be staying at hotels, eating at restaurants and generally spending money in the city.
Staff also claim several local jobs would be created, with annual totalling wages of nearly $300,000 spread acorss the created positions.
These jobs will include, but may not be limited to, concession operators and Zamboni drivers.
"I will do everything in my power, if it's not this franchise, that an OHL team is here," said Andlauer. "Perhaps a new facility that's not here today, but hopefully we get to that crossroad and then you'll have your answer."
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
The financial rewards for the community would go above and beyond business to include charity, as well as the Bulldogs Foundation would begin supporting Brantford social programs.
“We raised over $900,000 last year, which was our largest raised so far,” Andlauer said about the foundation.
Adding a comment about their current contribution in Hamilton, “our signature program is the breakfast program where we feed 21 inner-city schools.”
TICKET SALES
Season ticket deposits will be accepted as quickly as Wednesday when the organization says the Brantford Bulldogs website will be live.
“We are expecting a lot of demand when we go on sale tomorrow. The initial process will be an online deposit and a form that you have to fill out online,” Elia said.
A $100 deposit will be needed when signing up online. People selected for season tickets will then be able to choose their seats through an online map in the coming weeks.
When one councillor asked how the team will ration season tickets given excitement seems high, the franchise stated they will still have several seats available for single sale allowing the greater community to access games as well.
Andlauer stated ticket prices will be around equal market value to other OHL franchises but was unable to provide a specific number.
Hamilton Bulldogs single-game tickets during the regular season currently range from $15 to $28.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a leaked cellphone call, commiserated with a COVID-19 protester about his trial while divulging to him there was an internal dispute over how Crown prosecutors were handling COVID-19 cases.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Months after Canada's ban on foreign homebuyers took effect on Jan. 1, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has made several amendments to the legislation allowing non-Canadians to purchase residential properties in certain circumstances.
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse earlier this month dealt a major blow to the wine and crypto firms that entrusted their money with and depended on the lender to stay afloat.
Fire crews remain on scene of a blaze in east London. The call came in around 1:30 a.m. for a structure fire at 720 Cabell St. near Roberts Avenue and crews immediately started a defensive fight from outside the building.
Train whistles in Walkerville were discussed a committee of council meeting Wednesday night. Residents want the Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) to stop running trains between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
Parents had their say at a Vimy Ridge Public School town hall as the Ottawa-Carleton District School board addressed concerns around harassment and bullying.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Canadian Press has learned that Ontario has granted a three-month funding extension for doctors to provide care through virtual emergency departments.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
A young man found wounded late Wednesday night in the parking lot of a shopping centre in northeast Montreal is believed to be the victim of an earlier shooting in the same area. Montreal police (SPVM) reported Thursday morning that the 18-year-old man's life was no longer in danger.
A new regulation that comes into effect Thursday in Quebec prohibits the feeding of white-tailed deer outside of hunting season, from Dec. 1 to Aug. 31, except on l'ile d'Anticosti.
The eve of the release of the final report from the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s 2020 mass shooting is a reminder for residents of Portapique of their small community’s traumatic past.
After British Columbia singled out a Nova Scotia practitioner for writing thousands of Ozempic prescriptions to Americans through pharmacies in metro Vancouver, officials in Nova Scotia began looking into the matter.
A Manitoba family has launched a lawsuit alleging their 23-year-old son had a stroke days after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving him legally blind.
A Winnipeg judge is set to make a court ruling on Thursday in the trial of a retired priest accused of assaulting a woman while she was a student at a residential school more than 50 years ago
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Calgary police say they've arrested a woman in connection with a stabbing at the Lions Park LRT station that stemmed from a fight between several people.
A United Conservative Party candidate in Lethbridge claims teachers are exposing students to pornography and gender reassignment without parental knowledge.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta's energy regulator has defended its finding that the province's largest recorded earthquake was caused by oilpatch activity, saying the pattern of temblors since last fall clearly points to a water disposal well even though there's no suggestion rules were flouted.
Cloudy skies in the Edmonton area this morning. But, after a bit of light snow overnight, it looks like the city and surrounding areas are pretty much done with the precipitation for today.
The Riverview Hospital itself has been closed for more than a decade, but 289 people are currently receiving treatment for mental health, addictions or both at the old site.
Vancouver city council has asked staff to shape a policy that would require grant recipients to engage with officials in a "respectful manner," a move that one political scientist says suggests an attempt to prevent or punish criticism.
After a man was fatally stabbed outside of a Vancouver Starbucks in front of dozens of witnesses, video of the attack is circulating on social media, raising questions about why nobody stepped in to help.
