Saturday August 14, 2010
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday August 14, 2010
Globe & Mail declares mayor “this week’s boldest
Noting that he “risks it all in his support for a downtown stadium,” The Globe and Mail declared Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger to be “this week’s boldest.”
The declaration comes at the end of a week in which the mayor challenged government MPs and MPPs to declare their position in the great stadium debate, the Tiger-Cats pulled out of stadium talks, council voted twice for the West Harbour site, and he faced a barrage of public criticism over the decision which may result in the Ticats leaving Hamilton.
The Globe declares Eisenberger’s support for a downtown stadium a ‘game changer’ in the ongoing battles between cities and sports teams about the location of sport venues.
Citing Scotiabank Place which The Globe says Ottawa Senators fans “have to travel halfway to Kingston” to get to, the paper states suburban sports venues are not always convenient. The paper says that our stadium dispute “echoes” the “feud” over the location of Toronto’s Skydome (now Rogers Centre) which The Globe says did help to spark Toronto’s waterfront revitalization.
The Globe ends by noting Eisenberger has to win over Ticats owner Bob Young before facing voters in their fall’s municipal election. (The Hamilton Spectator)