2nd NHL Team In Durham

There are several groups that want to bring a 2nd NHL team to the GTA and build a 20 thousand seat stadium and hotel sports complex.

Now another group has emerged this week who are looking at Markham. In this report it appears Markham politicians are working hard on this. A 2nd NHL team in the GTA is inevitable.

http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1013085--revved-up-rumour-mill-links-bratty-to-markham-nhl-bid

My question to Gens Nation to Durham region residents and to Durham politicians is...hey...what about Durham being home to a 2nd NHL team? We have the space...a big NHL hockey fanbase...the infrastructure...HWY 407 coming...close proximity to Toronto's large population base...i absolutely think our politicians and our community should be lobbying some of these groups into looking at Durham and building a new 20K seat arena right here in beautiful Durham!!

Wouldn't it be fantastic to have a 2nd NHL team in Durham? Not only would it be so cool to have an NHL team here it would also help boost Durham's economy...create jobs...boost property values...reduce our too high property taxes...YES YES a win win for Durham!!

Durham should throw their hat into the ring right now for a 2nd NHL team for the GTA!!

There are several excellent locations right now in Durham to build an arena hotel sports complex...

1. Thickson Rd & 401 (Beside the AMC Complex space also right across street and hotels already on Consumers Rd)?
2. Along Taunton Rd (In Pickering, Ajax or Whitby)?
3. Your suggestions?

Discuss...

I think you might find a lot of opposition to such a project based on the history of development projects in North Pickering/Ajax.

it would not work.. first off, we dont draw a "great" attendance as is.. so having some fans no longer being gens fans and going to another team is not good.. the gta is not a hockey fan base, its a leafs fan base. mississauga and brampton dont draw many fans to their games and toronto even lost their team.. plus i dont think that would lower property tax, it would prolly increase them to pay for the arena..

Would kill the Gens almost immediatly and the only bonus us hockey fans would get is the pleasure of paying three times the price to sit in the nosebleeds.

A 2nd NHL team is inevitable in the GTA and NHL sources say they want it located within close proximity to metro Toronto's 5.5 million population base preferrably within a 30-40 minute drive. That means a new arena will be built in either Markham Mississauga or Durham.

So far i have not read one reasonable post here as to why Durham shouldn't be fighting to get this 2nd NHL team over Markham and Mississauga. (You guys sound like a bunch of troll like losers to me.) Quickdraw the admin will not tollerate sentences like this so, if you can't except others opinions without name calling, then you best stay away from this forum until you can!!

You know why Markham and Mississauga attract large corporate companies to their cities and Durham can't?

Do you know why real estate values appreciate upwards far less in Durham than in Mississauga and Markham?

Do you know why Durham residents pay the highest rates in property taxes in the GTA?

Because Durham's politicians have always lacked strong competent leadership that's why! Durham's politicians have never been able to attract the big corporate companies like Mississauga's longtime mayor Hurricane Hazel has which brings jobs to our communities...which in turn gets those employees buying homes helping in turn to raise real estate values and more corporate companies here would also help to lower our already ridiculously high property taxes that go up every year. Take a drive through Markham and especially Mississauga and you will see what looks like a different world compared to Durham where huge corporate companies are located and based in. In Durham...well here we have GMC coming out of bankruptcy protection because no one wanted to buy their products, what a joke.

So what is it then...should we just sit back and say "it won't work" or should we get out and start lobbying our politicians to get off their duffs and start lobbying and fighting to get a 2nd NHL team for right here in Durham just like Markham's politicians are doing???? Why should Durham sit back and let another GTA city get an NHL team? Makes zero sense. If Markham can try WHY can't and WHY shouldn't Durham?

If the Gens can't survive i say so be it because a 2nd NHL team in Durham is far better in the long run for our community than the OHL. I'm not so sure the Gens couldn't survive anyway. The GTA is Leafs town and an NHL town it's not an OHL town.

Bottom Line: Durham politicians, the Durham community and the Durham media should not just sit back and let a 2nd NHL team go to another GTA city without at least lobbying these potential ownership groups into looking at Durham.

Did you guys even read how pro active Markham's politicians are on this issue? They have "had discussions about building an NHL size arena as far back as two years ago"!!

Try again...
http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1013085--revved-up-rumour-mill-links-bratty-to-markham-nhl-bid

the reason i live in durham is because of the community.. i dont want big corporate building and condos poping up severywhere.. if i wanted that and to pay 1 million bucks for a place to live, id go to the west end.. as much as high taxes do suck, id rather have that then a busy business center.. oh and ps, we cant get a 2nd nhl team because the leafs own the rights to the area here and they wouldnt allow it.. hence why hamilton doesn't have a team

Quickdraw, you answered your own question. The reason why Peel Region is so much better for the NHL is because of everything you mention: the corporate presence is far greater to sell boxes and season tickets, the population base is significantly higher in the west end of the GTA than the east end and I would also add that the transportation infrastructure is far greater. There are multiple highways to get people in Toronto to Mississauga and only highway 401 in Durham Region which is already too crowded during rush hour.

Generally I agree with your post. Durham needs more jobs and more economic opportunities and local politicians have failed to accomplish that. I don't think an NHL arena accomplishes that though. Jobs didn't flow to Kanata after the Sens started playing on the outskirts of Ottawa. Pro sports teams don't really create much in the way of jobs other than seasonal employment for concessions, ushers, etc. There are a few full-time jobs produced (marketing for example) but not enough that it would justify any taxpayer subsidies for construction.

LX wrote:the reason i live in durham is because of the community.. i dont want big corporate building and condos poping up severywhere.. if i wanted that and to pay 1 million bucks for a place to live, id go to the west end.. as much as high taxes do suck, id rather have that then a busy business center.. oh and ps, we cant get a 2nd nhl team because the leafs own the rights to the area here and they wouldnt allow it.. hence why hamilton doesn't have a team

First off once again you come off like a loser who's not interested in making the Durham community better. You have no clue about what your talking about, the Leafs will get paid off huge and allow another NHL team into Toronto there's way too much money involved in this the Leafs will not block a 2nd team in the GTA.

You would rather have to pay higher taxes than attract corporate jobs in your community? I doubt you even own real estate or pay a dime in property taxes or even know how high the tax rates are in Durham. Your a fool go troll another board i'm not interested in your BS.

hockeybeats wrote:Generally I agree with your post. Durham needs more jobs and more economic opportunities and local politicians have failed to accomplish that. I don't think an NHL arena accomplishes that though.

Your wrong, like usual Beats you are completely out to lunch.

Since our politicians can't attract big corporate companies into Durham do you not think getting an NHL team in Durham might be a good start in the right direction in attracting big business?

And comparing Durham to Kanata and saying an NHL team would not create spin off jobs and help area business's like restaurants and hotels etc is as assinine as it gets.

Also like i have already pointed out there are more born and bred Canuck hockey fans in Durham and the surrounding areas than Mississauga & Markham who's high ethnic populations don't give a rats ass about hockey.

The 401 through east of Salem Rd will be getting 8 lanes each way so that also blows your traffic argument right out of the water as well.

so why dont u run for mayor of oshawa so ur dream can come true. apparently you know whats best for all of us. selling our communtity to big corporations. you're the only person saying the leafs would be happy to have competition in the area. so go on living in your dream world.

LX wrote:so why dont u run for mayor of oshawa so ur dream can come true. apparently you know whats best for all of us. selling our communtity to big corporations...

Not only do you talk like a punk newb you type like one.

You have nothing intelligent to offer here get off the board troll.

QuickDraw wrote:

hockeybeats wrote:Generally I agree with your post. Durham needs more jobs and more economic opportunities and local politicians have failed to accomplish that. I don't think an NHL arena accomplishes that though.

Your wrong, like usual Beats you are completely out to lunch.

Since our politicians can't attract big corporate companies into Durham do you not think getting an NHL team in Durham might be a good start in the right direction in attracting big business?

And comparing Durham to Kanata and saying an NHL team would not create spin off jobs and help area business's like restaurants and hotels etc is as assinine as it gets.

Also like i have already pointed out there are more born and bred Canuck hockey fans in Durham and the surrounding areas than Mississauga & Markham who's high ethnic populations don't give a rats ass about hockey.

The 401 through east of Salem Rd will be getting 8 lanes each way so that also blows your traffic argument right out of the water as well.

If I'm out to lunch, enlighten me. Durham Region is effectively a collection of suburbs (with the exception of its rural areas and perhaps Oshawa with its history as an automotive town and distance from Toronto). Kanata is also a suburb. Why is it an asinine comparison? We never mentioned restaurants - yes, an NHL team would help create more restaurants but that isn't a producer of a large number of solid full-time jobs, it would be mostly part-time seasonal work, particularly if the arena was built on a plot of farmland far from other urban developments like anything north of Taunton. Durham's problem is that it already has too high a percentage of part-time and seasonal employment. What evidence do you have that major corporations would establish their operations here? Give me one example of a small town or suburb that built a pro sports arena and then which major companies established a presence there. What you'll find is that it works the other way around. Waterloo has major technology firms like Research in Motion and financial services have followed suit - both Manulife Financial and Sunlife Financial have large office towers there that employ hundreds of people. That's what could attract the NHL. The corporate presence comes first. Look at Winnipeg - there has been zero discussion about how the NHL would attract a stronger corporate presence to the city but lots of discussion about whether its current corporate presence is sufficient for an NHL team. If Winnipeg lacks the corporate presence necessary, it's a safe bet that Ajax or Oshawa are lacking as well.

As for highway 401 expansion through Whitby and Oshawa, I've heard that plan too. I'll believe it when I see the shovels hit the ground. A potential NHL team won't build an arena based on a highway expansion that might happen 10 years down the road and with the Ontario government hesitating on building the 407 through Durham which would at least collect tolls and generate revenue back, they sure as heck aren't in a hurry to build major infrastructure projects in their current deficit situation. In addition, the Conservatives are likely to win in October. I haven't heard Tim Hudak speak about our local highway developments but I have heard him talk about deficit reduction. Is Hudak a supporter of expanding the 407, additional lanes on the 401 and the exit ramp to Lakeridge which was approved seemingly years ago or would those plans be scaled back? All of these things are relevant to the discussion of an NHL team in Durham Region.

If you want to live in Toronto or Mississauga where all the jobs are then go do it. If the politicians of Durham weren't going to be able to build an outdoor stadium for CFL, MLL, and concerts, why would the area want to build an NHL rink all of a sudden?

I believe the GMC bleeds red ink and thats a 6000 seat arena, why would an NHL rink fair better?

I for one live in Oshawa because its not Toronto. I don't see many of the Gens STH being able to afford season tickets to the NHL. Unless a rink is going to bring in a few thousand full time jobs minimum the community can't support it.

I recently ran into a Durham politician and we chatted about Durham tossing their hat into the ring for the coming 2nd Toronto NHL team and the response i got was very positive with a promise to discuss further with other Durham politicians...

Toronto councillor now also making pitch...

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/06/02/18226851.html

Toronto councillor making pitch for second NHL team

By DON PEAT, QMI Agency

Councillor Josh Colle says Toronto should play hard for a second NHL franchise. (DON PEAT/QMI Agency)

TORONTO - Councillor Josh Colle wants Toronto to make a power play for another hockey team.

While Winnipeg celebrates the return of the National Hockey League to its city, Colle will ask Thursday for Toronto's economic development committee to get Hogtown in the game to score the next team the league decides to relocate to Canada.

"I think we've got to be aggressive about it and not just kind of sit back and see where the chips fall where they may," Colle told QMI Agency on Wednesday. "Let's play some offence instead of defence, let's forecheck a little bit."

In a letter to economic development chairman Councillor Michael Thompson obtained by QMI Agency, Colle urges his colleagues to write to the NHL and make it clear Toronto, despite already being home to the Maple Leafs, is ready to face off against other cities, even our southern Ontario neighbours, for another team "should the opportunity arise."

Mayor Rob Ford and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are copied on the letter.

The rookie councillor -- a member of the city's economic development committee -- said a second team would generate economic activity, tourism, jobs and tax revenues for the city.

Rumours of another team relocating around Toronto have been rampant over the last few years with Hamilton, Vaughan and Waterloo all being tossed around as possible sites.

"We're going to sit on our hands and not say a peep while there are teams that look like they're available now? It's crazy," Colle said.

"By sending a letter to the NHL we're saying, when the next opportunity becomes available know that we are willing to work with you in order to make this work. We are a willing host market."

Given the announcement this week that the NHL will relocate the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, it is clear the struggling expansion teams are in play, Colle said.

"There is an obvious sign now with what happened in Winnipeg that they are willing to come back to Canada," he said.

"I think sending this message also gets potential ownership groups out in the city, we know there are a lot of great candidates, to realize that this city is willing to work with them to make something happen."

Asked about Toronto's current team, Colle -- a diehard Leafs' fan -- said he thinks a second Toronto team would be good for the Buds.

"This is not about the Leafs for me, this is about making sure Toronto seizes an opportunity but at the same time, I actually don't think it would hurt the Leafs, I think it grows the market," he said.

- - -

Councillor Josh Colle wants city council to support scoring another Toronto NHL team.

Here's a rundown of where he thinks the team should go, what it should be called, how he feels about the Leafs and who he thinks will win the Stanley Cup this year:

Where would you want to see another Toronto NHL team?

"I think Woodbine is great ... it is so close to the airport and to the highways and to other municipalities with big populations, I think that would make a tonne of sense."

What would you call Toronto's second NHL team?

"We could go the Jets' way and revive the old WHL name and go with the Toros. The Toronto Toros. But there is so much hockey history in this city we could come up with something and maybe location would determine that."

You were ask nicely in one of your posts by admin to refrain from name calling people on this board . Now the thread is lock since you don't like to follow the ruls of this administration . QuickDraw you may be thrilled to have another NHL team in the GTA, but everyone one on this forum has a right to their opinion as well without being called names like: troll ,loser and punk. Until you can refrain from Name calling, this thread will be locked and your future posts deleted if you continue to disrespect other forum posters!!!

UGENS(Karon)