Promising video, screenshots of the new Hamilton stadium released, but questions remain

The 2011 decision to build a new facility on the current location of Ivor Wynne Stadium has made tangible progress, as details, drawings and video of the new stadium were presented at its official unveiling Friday. What's come out so far has been pretty impressive. Here's a video giving a virtual tour of the new stadium, which will be used for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, for soccer at the 2015 Pan-Am Games and for other community events:

And some still frames from that video showcasing various aspects of the stadium:

This certainly looks promising (although some have expressed concerns over the fans being further back from the field than in the existing stadium), and the Tiger-Cats have to be reassured by CFL commissioner Mark Cohon's comments that the stadium's small size (24,000 for football normally, with the potential of expanding to 40,000 for special events like the Grey Cup) isn't a bad thing and won't prevent Hamilton from being considered for a Grey Cup. However, there's a long way to go before it's even built and ready for football of any kind, and the best-laid stadium plans don't always come to fruition as anticipated; just ask Winnipeg.

Moreover, the more immediate concern in Hamilton is where the Tiger-Cats are going to go next year. The existing Ivor Wynne Stadium is going to be demolished in December, and the team still hasn't announced their plans (although the smart money's likely on them playing in one or more nearby CIS stadiums; McMaster has withdrawn from consideration, but teams in other cities may be more willing to share). Still, things have come a long way from the not-so-far-off days when Tiger-Cats' president Scott Mitchell was threatening to move the team to Ottawa, Burlington or the Maritimes. There are still plenty of questions surrounding this stadium and the path to getting there, but it's undeniable the Tiger-Cats are closer to a new field in Hamilton than they've been in some time.