TORONTO: Big News for BMO Field

Soccer club Toronto FC got its MLS season off on the right foot in Seattle last weekend with a big 2-1 win. But it was news off the pitch that had Toronto really talking. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (the company that owns the soccer team) CEO Tim Leiweke told the Toronto Sun that the company would be spending $120M on upgrades to BMO Field, adding a partial roof, another 10,000 seats, and making it more suitable to double as a future home for the city’s pro football team, the Argos. The plan also involves hosting big festivals like the NHL’s popular Winter Classic.

The last time there was talk of entertainment-focused development down by the stadium, it was heated debate over a massive casino complex. City council bounced that plan last fall, led by opponents like First Capital Realty pres Dori Segal (who owns and manages properties nearby). Dori tells us he spent “north of a million” mounting an attack. “We are business people,” he says. “We would have supported it if we thought it was good.”

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's National Newsletters
Related Stories

Ryman Hospitality To Pay $1.4B For Orlando Resort Complex

Wendy's Plots More Closures Amid U.S. Sales Slump

Anthropic Strikes Data Center Development Deal With Macquarie, GIC

In The Era Of AI, A New Platform Is Preserving Brokers' Competitive Advantage

More CMBS Borrowers Are Slamming Into The $65B Maturity Wall

Wall Street Anxiety Pushes Meta Into The Neocloud Business

Microsoft Moves To Undo Local Tax Breaks For Atlanta Data Center Projects

ICE Pivot From Warehouse Plan Funnels Cash To Private Prison Owners

SpaceX, Tesla To Spend $16.8B Building First Phase Of 100M SF Chip Factory

Longtime Newmark CEO Barry Gosin To Step Down

USG To Unveil New Solution For Data Center Partners At DICE South In Texas

CRE’s ESG Retreat Masks Growing Spending On Climate Risk