Most people would agree that there is no such thing as a free lunch. But sometimes, the lunch is too good to turn down.
Later this week we’ll find out if Larry Tanenbaum and his Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) will be taking U of T and its students out for lunch. Of course we’re not talking about tuna salad and minestrone soup. Think much, much more expensive.
Tanenbaum, chairman of the MLSE board, has envisioned returning the barren grounds of the Varsity Stadium site to its previous glory. If the proposed deal goes through, the downtown site-which has played host to numerous Grey Cups and Vanier Cups-could become the new home of the Toronto Argonauts and, of course, the Varsity Blues.
MLSE is prepared to construct a 25,000 seat stadium, refurbish the flagging Varsity Arena, construct a second ice-surface, and put up retail space. With such an ambitious endeavour, what’s amazing is that not a single penny of the $100 million price tag of this project would come from U of T students. By freeing students of the financial burden, U of T is ensuring history does not repeat itself. A 2002 Varsity Centre referendum, that asked students to foot the bill for a new complex, encountered major opposition and fell flat on its face.
The stadium is also intended to rejuvenate the Toronto Argonauts’ fan base by providing an intimate, open-air stadium of the sort commonly found in the CFL. Other tenants could include the Canadian Soccer Association, the Toronto Roadrunners, and the St. Mike’s Majors. Like a B12 shot, this move would bring new life to the downtown sports scene and all surrounding business.
The only thing standing in the way of Tanenbaum is the reluctance of Argos owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski to yield to the Maple Leaf empire. Instead, the proud new owners of the flailing CFL franchise are strongly considering a site closer to York University, citing a lack of accessibility to the downtown venue. The argument that York is more accessible than a Varsity site that is steps from a major TTC stop is laughable. The Alouettes success on the McGill campus is proof enough that a downtown location will work.
However, the difference between the Alouettes and McGill deal, and the MLSE proposal is that the latter encompasses a larger union between MLSE, the CFL and U of T. Indeed, the impact of this deal would not only resonate throughout the campus, but also across the city.
Good news for everyone, and especially the Blues. Not only would the football, soccer and track & field teams have a new home, but indoor teams such as hockey, basketball and volleyball would have access to the new arena. And with a retail complex filling out the space between the two sites, the entire area would undergo the extreme makeover it has desperately needed for years.
With fans as sparse as day lockers at the AC, a new stadium would certainly attract students and alumni to home games-without the uncomfortable nuisance of port-o-potties and borrowed bleachers. A new arena would also mean athletes would no longer be confined to practicing and training at the often- crowded AC and Hart House, which would ultimately mean more space for everybody else. And with new and improved athletic facilities, Varsity teams would be able to attract top athletes for years to come. Who knows, the football team might win a game.
Despite a public persona that’s comparable to Montgomery Burns, Tanenbaum’s vision to revitalize sports in the downtown core should be welcomed with open arms at the university. As long as U of T’s bureaucratic red tape doesn’t deter MLSE, and Tanenbaum and crew agree to U of T’s terms, students and fans can look forward to being part of renewed energy and excitement around university sports. And we can rest assured that every varsity athlete will be walking away saying the same thing: “excellent.”
