Two proposals on the table for renovations to Hamilton’s entertainment venues
- Michael Kras
- 10 Feb 2020
Hamilton city council is still deeply considering two major proposals to redesign, reimagine, and renovate the city’s major downtown entertainment venues.
The proposals, one by Vrancor Group and the other by Hamilton Urban Precinct Arts and Entertainment Group, both involve substantial overhauls to downtown’s FirstOntario Centre (formerly Copps Coliseum), FirstOntario Concert Hall (formerly Hamilton Place), and the Hamilton Convention Centre.
Each longstanding venue is in serious need of some renovation, whether to overhaul dated aesthetics or address various levels of disrepair.
Two bidders face off to reinvent Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre at no cost to taxpayers https://t.co/Ch5jfbPMLr via @CHCH
— Troy Ouellette (@aceshigh1309) February 4, 2020
Last Wednesday, February 5th, Hamilton’s city councillors met in private to discuss the proposals at length. While no details of the deliberations have been made public, city council says that both proposals are “very much alive” and being given intense consideration.
The $200 million plan recently put forth by Vrancor Group puts particular emphasis on renovating FirstOntario Centre, proposing much-needed updates to the arena’s interior and exterior on top of building two adjoined midrise office buildings. Renovations to FirstOntario Concert Hall and the Hamilton Convention Centre are also part of this plan.
Hamilton Urban Precinct Arts and Entertainment Group has plans of a considerably larger scale and budget. Estimated at $500 million, the plans include involvement from Carmen’s Group, Paletta International, dpai architects, LiUNA, Meridian Credit Union, and more.
On top of major renovations to FirstOntario Centre and FirstOntario Concert Hall, the proposal also includes moving the Hamilton Convention Centre to become part of the Hamilton City Centre stretch of James North, as well as the construction of three high-rise towers to house the convention centre, Art Gallery of Hamilton, commercial space, and condominiums.
Clearly, both plans present attractive possibilities for Hamilton’s downtown core, and best of all, unlike the rejected proposal of a new Lime Ridge Mall arena by Hamiton Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer, neither of these current proposals involve public money.
Lead image courtesy of Hamilton Urban Precinct Arts and Entertainment Group
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