Come one, come all

Yesterday’s Citizen editorial notwithstanding, the document produced by City staff for the Corporate  Services and Economic Development Committee isn’t all bad – at least not as far as baseball is concerned.  (View the prospective Proposal criteria)  It is true:  Whoever takes over Lynx Stadium will be faced with prohibitively high operational costs, chiefly the utility bills.  The dirty little secret on Coventry Road is that the $108,000 annual lease amount is dwarfed by the costs of actually running the Stadium (the latter, conservatively estimated at more than 3x the $108K).

But, I digress: Arguing the economics right now would be akin to a prisoner, having been granted a stay of execution, complaining about prison conditions.  There will be time for that later.

The real “win” here for proponents of baseball is the provision that in order to be considered, a proposal must include a baseball component.  Essentially, even Ikea could make a pitch but they’ll have to field a baseball team to get control of the property.  The extension of the deadline proposed by the report (submissions are now required by February 2010) is another mixed blessing – getting a team up and running in three months will be a tall order, but it gives the Can-Am additional time to find owners for a team.

In my view, the early winners are Miles Wolff and the Can-Am.  The requirement for baseball has ruled out the soccer proposal and the deadline extension has prevented the Ottawa Stadium Group from becoming the defacto winner of the competition- at least,  for the time being.  (Neate has a peremptory take down of the OSG here.)

What’z mizzing from theze photoz?

Kinda does the heart good, doesn’t it?

In from the cold

More later.  For this evening, I’m pleased to report that both the Can-Am and Unofficial Ottawa Lynx blogs are both back and open for business.

(I’ve just gotta get the hang of WordPress again…)

Unlikely – UPDATED

If this sounds all too familiar, cast your mind back to that Ottawa Business Journal report from August of 2007.  Except this time, the “bank of Frank” is most decidedly a little short on cash.

My reaction?  A firm “meh“.  Certainly, just about any proposal that can prevent the park from meeting with the wrecking ball is better than one that won’t.  But will the City buy this one?  I doubt it - for the same reasons as last time.  Too many elements are missing from the proposal (even more than last time with the loss of financial backing and the  House of Blues which no longer exists).

I do wish the reporter would do a little fact checking though:  Who did a “trial run” with Nickelback?   Having said that, I’ll give Butler credit for not recycling the 42,000 beers story this time around.

*** UPDATE ***

An emailer reminded me of this incident, which can only add to the credibility gap:

There was that first road trip when the bus failed to arrive to pick up the team in Ottawa. As a result, the Rapidz were late for the opening night game in Atlantic City

Hmmmm.  Whose bus was it that didn’t show?

 

Beyond dispute

Had I been more objective, I might not have been so startled by Bob Chiarelli’s support for keeping Lynx Stadium.  In his interview with the Sun which appeared in yesterday’s edition, the former mayor appeared to be channeling Miles Wolff:

“If it’s torn down and the land developed for office buildings and
shopping capacities — how many of those do we have right now? And
will continue to build? But, how many functional, in-shape stadiums
does the city have now? Not one.” For the capital of Canada,
unacceptable.

“There is a role for that stadium to help maintain us as a city that
is respected and healthy and exciting as part of the fabric and vision
of Ottawa. We should seize it as an opportunity. Not this ‘the sky is
falling, the sky is falling.’ “

Make that two former mayors who oppose the notion of demolishing the park.  There are a few facts people should bear in mind when discussing Lynx Stadium.  First, the Stadium is entirely paid for – every last penny.  The City (notwithstanding their claim against Ray Pecor) isn’t out any of the money loaned them by the City formerly known as Nepean.  Second, in stark contrast with Lansdowne Park, Lynx Stadium has never been with out a tenant in its 17 year history.

NEVER.  Mr. Wolff and the Can-Am League have agreed to pay this year’s lease as well as picking up the tab for the 2008 season.  Granted, there won’t be any professional ball being played in ’09, but the lease is being fulfilled.

The Stadium, unlike Lansdowne, has always been maintained – extremely well maintained.  Heat, hydro, security, phones have all been maintained – at the tenant’s expense for 16 years.  The condition of the Stadium speaks volumes about the stewardship of the Lynx, Kyle Bostwick and his uber office manager, Lorraine Charrette.  The Stadium has not been a burden on the taxpayer, which cannot be said of Lansdowne or the highly touted “public-private partnerships” like the Sensplex and Ray Friel Centre.

In 2007, less than three years after it opened, the Bell Sensplex ran into financial difficulty and the City extended a lifeline in the form of a $1.4 million bailout.  This on top of the $250,000 pumped into the complex each year for thirty years.  The situation at a second PPP, the Ray Friel Centre, was worse.  In that instance, the management company (the PPP partner) is purported to have underestimated its operating costs while overestimating revenue at the same time.  As a result (surprise!), it claimed it couldn’t make a profit and planned to terminate their agreement with the City.  The bottom line result for the City?  $1.4M more for the Sensplex (with an exposure for the entire construction cost of approximately $25M) and $12M more for the Ray Friel Centre debt.

This is part of what makes this whole discussion about tearing down the Stadium so infuriating to many of us – the City has invested relatively little money in Lynx Stadium over the years.  They’ve certainly never invested $250,000 per year in it, nor did they ever bailout or forgive Mr. Pecor’s “debt”.  But at the first sign of trouble – before the Stadium is even without a tenant there’s talk of razing it.

My friends, I suggest that that position is incredibly – INCREDIBLY premature.  Given the current economic climate (read – a BUYER’S market) is now really the best time to be selling land?  Would the City not realize more money on the sale if they kicked the can down the road a few years? 

The Voyageurs aren’t here this year, but not for lack of fan support – as my son so eloquently put it, “it’s not our fault this time, is it?”.  Quite simply, no.  It’s not our fault this time.  Atlantic City folded and that set off a sequence of events which led to the loss of our 2009 season. 

However, should it come to pass in the next year, the loss of Lynx Stadium cannot be laid at our feet.  That terrible, myopic decision will be hung on this Council.

Fan mail

Keep those letters coming!  I’ll post the important contact information for City Council a little lower in this post.  First though, I thought I’d highlight a note that came in from Noel Baca earlier today – it’s a comment left on a post which is a few days old:

Noel Baca said

April 3, 2009 at 11:47 am e

First and formost I would like to thank all of the great people and baseball fans in Ottawa that supported and fought to bring baseball back. Ottawa was a great city that had so much potential. As one of many players I won’t be first to admit that the stadium is one of the best that I’ve had the pleasure playing in. Now that we have all got the news that there will no longer be a team returning that the possibility of tearing down the stadium is a sad thought. I loved the city and all the fans that came out to support us. The city of Ottawa will always have a special place in my heart for more reasons than just baseball. So with that, again thank you all for your support!

May God Bless,

Noel

Thanks Noel.  We’re hopeful we’ll see you back here soon.

Mayor Larry O’Brien

Phone 613-580-2496 / Fax 613-580-2509 / 110 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa , Ontario K1P 1J1

E-mail Larry.OBrien@ottawa.

 

Councillor Georges Bédard

Ward 12 – Rideau-Vanier

Tel: 613-580-2482

Fax: 613-580-2522

Georges.Bedard@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Michel Bellemare

Ward 11 – Beacon Hill-Cyrville

Tel: 613-580-2481

Fax: 613-580-2521

Michel.Bellemare@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Rainer Bloess

Ward 2 – Innes

Tel: 613-580-2472

Fax: 613-580-2512

Rainer.Bloess@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Glenn Brooks

Ward 21 – Rideau-Goulbourn

Tel: 613-580-2491

Fax: 613-580-2531

Glenn.Brooks@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Rick Chiarelli

Ward 8 – College

Tel: 613-580-2478

Fax: 613-580-2518

Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Alex Cullen

Ward 7 – Bay

Tel: 613-580-2477

Fax: 613-580-2517

Alex.Cullen@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Diane Deans

Ward 10 – Gloucester-Southgate

Tel: 613-580-2480

Fax: 613-580-2520

Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca

Councillor Steve Desroches

Ward 22 – Gloucester-South Nepean

Tel: 613-580-2751

Fax: 613-580-2761

Steve.Desroches@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Clive Doucet

Ward 17 – Capital

Tel: 613-580-2487

Fax: 613-580-2527

Clive.Doucet@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Eli El-Chantiry

Ward 5 – West Carleton-March

Tel: 613-580-2475

Fax: 613-580-2515

Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Peggy Feltmate

Ward 23 – Kanata South

Tel: 613-580-2752

Fax: 613-580-2762

Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Jan Harder

Ward 3 – Barrhaven

Tel: 613-580-2473

Fax: 613-580-2513

Jan.Harder@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Diane Holmes

Ward 14 – Somerset

Tel: 613-580-2484

Fax: 613-580-2524

Diane.Holmes@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Peter Hume

Ward 18 – Alta Vista

Tel: 613-580-2488

Fax: 613-580-2528

Peter.Hume@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Gord Hunter

Ward 9 – Knoxdale-Merivale

Tel: 613-580-2479

Fax: 613-580-2519

Gord.Hunter@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Rob Jellett

Ward 19 – Cumberland

Tel: 613-580-2489

Fax: 613-580-2697

Rob.Jellett@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Christine Leadman

Ward 15 – Kitchissippi

Tel: 613-580-2485

Fax: 613-580-2525

Kitchissippi@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Jacques Legendre

Ward 13 – Rideau-Rockcliffe

Tel: 613-580-2483

Fax: 613-580-2523

Jacques.Legendre@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Maria McRae

Ward 16 – River

Tel: 613-580-2486

Fax: 613-580-2526

Maria.Mcrae@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Bob Monette

Ward 1 – Orléans

Tel: 613-580-2471

Fax: 613-580-2511

Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Shad Qadri

Ward 6 – Stittsville-Kanata West

Tel: 613-580-2476

Fax: 613-580-2516

Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Doug Thompson

Ward 20 – Osgoode

Tel: 613-580-2490

Fax: 613-580-2530

Doug.Thompson@ottawa.ca

 

Councillor Marianne Wilkinson

Ward 4 – Kanata North

Tel: 613-580-2474

Fax: 613-580-2514

Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca

The power of the pen.

A sampling of some of the correspondence heading to City Hall, care of Neil:

Subject: Pro Baseball is Family Value: Where Else Can Families Enjoy Pro-Level Summer Sports for $10 a Ticket?

Your Worship and Members of Council:

 

The news came out today that we didn’t lose pro baseball in Ottawa because of a lack of fan interest.  The Voyageurs were folded because the ownership bid for Atlantic City fell through and Can-Am League HQ needs an even number of teams.

 

1.     We have one of the finest professional baseball stadiums in Canada.  Several U.S.- based players I’ve spoken to at games over the past decade have all said our stadium is a gem.

 

2.    Each team, be it the Lynx or the Rapidz, has turned itself inside out to offer excellent summertime value to families.  $10 a seat!!!!!

 

3.    There are several professional baseball leagues in Canada:  Can-Am; Ontario’s Inter-County Baseball League; the Northern League (Winnipeg belongs).  There’s also the International League along the northeastern coast of the USA (includes our former Lynx).

 

Please use your influence with the stakeholders in pro baseball to save this great family-centred sport for Ottawa.  It would be inconceivable to tear down the beautiful, first-class stadium we have.  Have you sounded out all possible owners or ownership consortia?  A handful of Ottawa entrepreneurs could surely field a team, even during the current economic crisis.  Look at the money that business owners have on hand for football and soccer.

 

Can you at least lobby for a few exhibition games from those leagues so our stadium won’t be empty this summer, giving other leagues a year to consider options for operating a team in Ottawa? 

 

 

Several of you were at the inaugural game of the Rapidz to throw ceremonial pitches.  Won’t you pitch in this time with a collective political will?  The baseball fans in Ottawa would be willing to help, but we can’t get anything started without City Hall onside.

Please don’t underestimate the value of any letter and email – one of the things I discovered when we last lobbied City Hall was that most councillors paid real attention to the letters and petitions.  They were especially interested in the names and letters that came from their ridings.

April Fool – UPDATED

Clearly, some people move on quicker than others.

Ottawa’s baseball stadium should be sold to the highest bidder and the proceeds plowed into the city’s football stadium at Lansdowne Park, says the councillor for Orléans.

With the end of the Can-Am League’s interest in playing at Ottawa Stadium, the city needs to move quickly so that it at least has one stadium running, Bob Monette said.

He said the city should be looking at selling the Coventry Road stadium and land to a developer who would build a large office tower.

That sale would bring millions of dollars — perhaps $20 million — which could be put toward the proposed redevelopment of Lansdowne Park, Monette said.

“We have two stadiums — two stadiums that are sitting empty,” he said. “Having the status quo is not a solution.”

Where do you begin with this?  For openers, Lynx Stadium is currently leased – that agreement won’t expire until October 31, 2009.  Unless the City agrees to buy out the remainder of the term from the Can-Am League (which, granted, wouldn’t be that difficult) the “status quo” is maintained.  The notion that the City could simply sell the stadium “to a developer who would build a large office tower” seems incredibly far-fetched; does anyone really believe that there will be agreement among councillors on what to build, leaving alone for the moment who should build it?  And to suggest putting the proceeds towards one of the competing stadium bids, before that issue has even been settled is ridiculously naive.  I’m sure that there will be unanimity among Council and the taxpayers of Ottawa on that proposal, because there certainly aren’t any other uses for 20 million dollars.  Favorite line?  “(T)he City needs to move quickly”.  Reeealllllly?  Well, I need the City to spend my tax dollars wisely.  I need the City to fix the pothole at the end of my driveway.  I need the City to… well, you get the picture.  The City moving quickly is both unlikely and a complete oxymoron.

Monette said he has been a strong supporter of baseball in Ottawa but it’s clear the city is struggling to support a professional team despite having one of the best stadiums in the sport.

Key word for baseball supporters in Ottawa?  “Has” - past tense.  Thanks for comin’ out.

Moving on <cough>.  Thanks to Robin Collins for beginning the email campaign – I believe that public support for preserving the stadium is critical.  Saving Lynx Stadium is essential if we’re going to live to fight another day – in less than a week, it’s moved up to the top of the agenda.  Item two is finding an owner or ownership group for next year.  Is there any interest in having an informal get together to bat some ideas around?  One thing that I’ve discovered is that Ottawa is a very small, big town – even though we’re approaching a million people, it seems that everyone knows everyone.  Perhaps together we can make some of the connections that we need to make. 

I felt very strongly that if this team was to survive beyond this year it would require some fan led initiatives, geared primarily toward boosting attendance.  We’re in the position now where we have to adjust our strategies slightly – hang on to the stadium and find some investors. 

Shortly after the press conference, I asked Miles what the League response would be if we were able to locate an owner and secure a lease.  Was there any assurance the other six owners would agree to run with seven teams and a road team?  He was virtually certain that they would and that is enough for me to carry on with this. 

And so we carry on.  Please send me an email if you’d like to lend a hand.

*** UPDATE ***

Email me at carlk23@rogers.com

A difficult day

Attending a Voyageurs press conference was not something that many people had on their agenda for today. It was unfortunate that the news leaked out the way it did, but my understanding is that most, if not all of the Voyageurs employees had already been given the news.

For fans of baseball – local baseball, today was a tough day; we got knocked on our ass. The question is, what do we do now? And the League will be monitoring the response – will people still care, or will today’s news be met with a yawn? If it’s the latter, then the Can-Am League and (perhaps more importantly) the Corporation of the City of Ottawa will move on too.

Some important things to keep in mind on this otherwise gloomy March afternoon. First, the League holds the lease for the duration of 2009. Second, while I would have preferred to have had the luxury of enjoying games at the Stadium this summer while we were looking for new owners – we remain committed to finding new owners.

The principal players here – the fans, the Voyageurs front office staff, the players, Bruce and Miles have all faced a very difficult, disappointing day. For me personally, and for my son, it has left us deeply saddened. We will have to find other things to do with our time this summer – we all will. It’s not what any of us had anticipated or contemplated just a few short days ago, and we’ll have to adjust to this new “reality”. We’ll pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and recover.

What Bruce and I will not do is “move on”.  Not yet.  The Voyageurs aren’t operating in 2009 – but not because of anything they did or failed to do. Without an owner this team simply and perhaps, fatally, did not control its own destiny. Wholly reliant upon the League for its financial support, any bump in the road could potentially upset the apple cart.  The failure of Atlantic City was a pretty big “bump”, one that ultimately proved catastrophic for the 2009 Voyageurs.  There is a sense among those same principal players, especially for the GM Barry Robinson, that there is a lot being left on the table – there was great potential for this team.  Too much for some of us to simply walk away from.

Today, in the vernacular of my 12 year old son, sucks. But it’s how we deal with it tomorrow that matters.

Media Advisory: Voyageurs Pitching Coach Mike Kusiewicz Participates in Book Launch

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

For Immediate Release

MEDIA ADVISORY

Voyageurs Pitching Coach Mike Kusiewicz Participates in Book Launch

Ottawa – The Ottawa Voyageurs pitching coach Mike Kusiewicz will participate in the launch of Ottawa writer Jim Shearon’s new book “OVER THE FENCE IS OUT!”. The event will be held at the Collected Works Bookstore and Coffee Bar, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.

OVER THE FENCE IS OUT! highlights the career of Larry Walker, who will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball of Fame in June. The book is also a tribute to Canadian baseball and Canadians that succeeded in baseball. The book includes an alphabetical list of the 230 Canadians who have played in the major leagues from 1871 to 2008.

WHO: Jim Shearon, author and Mike Kusiewicz, Ottawa Voyageurs pitching coach

WHAT: Launch of the book OVER THE FENCE IS OUT!

WHERE: the Collected Works Bookstore and Coffee Bar (1242 Wellington St., Ottawa)

WHEN: Thursday, March 26 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Ottawa will open its 2009 regular season at home on Thursday, May 28 against the New Jersey Jackals for a four-game series, before hosting the Atlantic City Surf for three games to complete their initial seven-game homestand.