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The city of Hamilton could be getting a professional soccer team by 2018. According to a local soccer insider, the city will have one of a possible 8 teams that make up a new Canadian professional soccer league. The team could be playing under a proposed dome over Tim Hortons field.
“Soccer City”, that’s what retired pro soccer player John Mcgrane is hoping for the city. He says details of the team and league will be announced in the next 3 to 4 months.The news was revealed during a general issues committee meeting where Mcgrane was proposing a bubble dome at Tim Hortons Field. The dome is expected to cost 3 million dollars and would come at no cost to tax-payers, it would serve as a training facility for Hamilton’s soccer team.
The facility itself and any maintenance work would be paid for by the Tiger-Cats, who agreed to bring a professional team and soccer training facility as part of a stadium lease agreement with the city. The multimillion dollar bubble would be built over the grassy playing field at Tim Hortons Field. The dome would be in place every year from December 1st to April 30th and would not interfere with the Ticats season, which runs from June through November.
The 90 000 square foot bubble would house 5 soccer fields.The proposal also includes 500 hours of indoor field use for the city’s recreation department, but owners of Hamilton’s existing covered sports facilities say the current demand doesn’t warrant a new dome.
“I think the biggest concern for us, is there are currently 12 indoor facilities and with the addition of five more which is what is being proposed here that’s an increase of 40%.” Says Tasha Mazza-Kelton from Players Paradise.
Mcgrane says the professional soccer team will still happen regardless if the dome gets approved. Mcgrane is hoping to have the dome fully operational by this December.
