Staff report advises against construction of new arena at Lime Ridge Mall

Looks like the Hamilton Bulldogs probably won’t be getting a shiny new arena on the Hamilton mountain after all.

Months after a leaked report indicated that the Bulldogs sent an unsolicited proposal to the City of Hamilton proposing the construction of a brand new 6,000-seat arena and parking complex at Lime Ridge Mall, a new staff report recommending against the project will be presented to city councillors next week.

The report advises against the arena’s construction for a multitude of reasons, including concerns about the project’s overall ability to positively impact the Hamilton mountain, the suggestion that the project would have limited economic potential, and the fact that an arena built with under 10,000 seats would limit the city’s ability to attract and host major events.

BREAKING: @BulldogsOHL owner Michael Andlauer says after years of ‘empty promises’ from the city, staff’s recommendation that his Lime Ridge Mall arena idea be killed means it’s time to start exploring options outside #HamOnt for a new home. Story to come … #OHL #BurlON

— Scott Radley (@radleyatthespec) January 8, 2020

The Bulldogs’ proposal was presented as an alternative to Lime Ridge’s original redevelopment plans, a concept which involved completely demolishing the former two-storey Sears department store space and building a new complex feature retail stores, restaurants, and office complexes.

The envisioned 6,000 seat arena and parking complex, if approved, was initially forecasted to begin construction as early as March 2020. Part of its purpose was to become the new home of the Hamilton Bulldogs, with team owner Michael Andlauer even committing to partially offsetting taxpayer costs with a significant contribution toward construction expenses. The Bulldogs vacating their current digs at the FirstOntario Centre would have also freed up that aging arena to be demolished, leaving the land it currently stands on to be sold.

With the future of the proposed Lime Ridge arena project dangling precariously, Andlauer is already setting his sights elsewhere for Hamilton’s hockey team.

Not a lot of the Bulldogs’ near future is known yet, but without the Lime Ridge Mall arena project, there’s the very real possibility that Hamilton could lose them as their home team entirely.

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• Arena
• Bulldogs
• city development
• construction
• development
• FirstOntario Centre
• Hamilton
• Hamilton Bulldogs
• HamOnt
• Hockey
• Lime Ridge Mall