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Ticats’ plan to open Tim Hortons Field on Labour Day may still be “a real stretch”

Andrew Bucholtz

There's already been plenty of controversy over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' stadium situation, with the opening of Tim Hortons Field being bumped back from July 26 to September 1 and the team having to play its first three games at McMaster University. However, the drama may not be finished just quite yet. Will the Tiger-Cats get to their new stadium Sept. 1 for the Labour Day Classic against Toronto, as they've planned? Opinions are split. The playing surface is in place now, and that's a good sign. However, recent reports from the stadium don't seem promising:

According to this CHCH TV piece from the weekend, the builder was expected to file an application for partial occupancy with the city Monday to let the Labour Day game go ahead as planned. However, Hamilton Spectator reporter Matthew Van Dongen reported Monday that no permit had been filed as of 1:30 p.m., and there have been no subsequent reports of a permit being filed. Even once a permit is finally filed, the approval isn't quick or automatic; in fact, it can be rather time-consuming, as Van Dongen wrote Friday:

City officials say it could take anywhere from a few days to more than a week to earn a safety sign-off for public use of the $145-million facility.

That means it will be a race to have the new home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats "game ready" for Labour Day football.

"It could come down to the wire," said public works general manager Gerry Davis Friday. "We're still working to be game ready by Sept. 1. That's not completely finished, but it does mean safe and ready for use." ...

In theory, Davis said the city's building department could issue a permit for occupancy or partial occupancy as late as Aug. 28; he hopes to know the game status by Aug. 25.

Ticats president Glenn Gibson told The Spectator Friday he was "optimistic" about the stadium being ready for Labour Day but added a clearer picture would emerge next week.

The team has said it needs five days of preparation after final permits are issued to allow use of the stadium.

Beyond that, those with information on the project don't seem that optimistic it will be ready for Labour Day. Hamilton councillor Lloyd Ferguson told CHML Radio Friday a Labour Day opening "would be a real stretch," and he estimated only a 65 to 70 per cent chance of it being open in any state by then. Moreover, Ferguson added that any opening would likely be with very limited amenities:

Ferguson, who toured the stadium last week, admits he was surprised to see the amount of work that still needs to be done.

He says he doubts there will be concession stands, adding the priority now is health, fire and safety.

But guard rails and hand railings have not been completed and elevator installation has yet to be finished.

Even if the stadium does open, the lack of amenities is bad news for Tiger-Cats' fans, who have already had to endure substandard CFL conditions at tiny Ron Joyce Stadium during the team's first three home games. (In fact, the team's explanation for why there were so many empty seats there Saturday was that beer isn't allowed in the stands at McMaster, so everyone had to hang out in the beer garden.) Asking them to go through yet another game with significant infrastructure issues seems problematic.

However, a barely-functional Tim Hortons Field is the best-case scenario by far. There really isn't a good plan B. McMaster's field won't be available, as the Marauders host Guelph that day. Playing that game in Toronto at the Rogers Centre might be a possibility, but there probably isn't enough turnaround time after the Blue Jays' game Sunday. Beyond that, about the only other option would be another CIS stadium (maybe even Guelph). That would be far from easy or ideal, though. Thus, a bare-bones completion of Tim Hortons Field is the best-case scenario here. We'll see if it's attained or not.