Mayor Sam Katz has dumped cold water on the notion an inner-city football stadium would require less public money than a new Polo Park home for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Land assembly and infrastructure improvements required to place a stadium in South Point Douglas and redevelop the neighbourhood could cost $140 million to $200 million, Katz said Wednesday.
Katz's comments suggest the project could require substantially more public funds than the $40 million proposed last week by developer David Asper.
Relocating Higgins Avenue, realigning the south end of the Disraeli Freeway and fixing the Louise Bridge could easily cost $100 million, while assembling land for the deal could cost $40 million to $100 million, Katz told reporters.
Winnipeg can't afford the tab and won't sign on to South Point Douglas deal if it costs the city more than the scuttled plan to build a new football field at the existing site, the mayor added.
"It's my job to make sure taxpayers aren't left holding the bag," said Katz, explaining the Polo Park deal - which would have required a combined $80 million from the provincial and federal governments - required far less in the way of infrastructure improvements.
Last week, Asper said a South Point Douglas stadium deal would only require $40 million from the top two levels of government: $25 million from the province and $15 million from Ottawa.
"The ask from the other two levels of government is significantly less now. If suddenly the ask of the city is significantly more, (then) hold on a minute," Katz said. "Polo Park was a much better deal for the city of Winnipeg."
Katz's comments surprised Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, who said the numbers the mayor bandied about for land acquisition and relocating Higgins Avenue were news to him.
Doer said when Katz and Asper presented the South Point Douglas stadium plan to him on June 19, the costs of buying up land and building infrastructure were not in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
"I'm sure he was aware of that before he made his proposal," Doer said. "I assume he did all the due diligence when he came up with the proposal."
As of Wednesday, the province had not signed any memorandum of understanding on the South Point Douglas plan, Doer said. Provincial officials are still examining it to ensure if the proposal does proceed, Broadway is not on the hook for more than its fair share. Doer also said he wants a commitment the Blue Bombers will stay in Winnipeg under Asper's ownership.
The city, meanwhile, signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday, but that document does not commit the city toward building a football stadium in South Point Douglas, Katz said.
Under the plan Asper made public last week, the province would contribute $23 million towards the stadium and $2 million towards community renewal. The province would be willing to spend the money on a stadium because in return, it will recover the contribution through various taxes.
The city, meanwhile, would increase its tax base in South Point Douglas if the neighbourhood is redeveloped and would also collect more taxes from valuable commercial land currently occupied by Canad Inns Stadium.
The city and province do not earn tax revenue from the existing stadium because of a 2004 deal with the Winnipeg Football Club, which turned stadium operations over to the team. Right now, stadium revenue reverts to the club and is diverted toward stadium upgrades.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca
bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca
PREVIOUS
