I’m sorry, but this just sounds a little too good to be true:

“Mr. Butler reiterated that, contrary to some reports, his group is fronting the millions needed for the construction work, to be headed by local Ottawa firm M.P. Lundy Construction Ltd.

He said he’s held meetings with a number of interested stakeholders over the last few weeks.

He said the proposal, if accepted, would see an end to the current lawsuit between the Ottawa Lynx and the city over alleged parking promises, with OSG swallowing a potential $3.4 million bill.

It would also keep baseball in the capital, he said.

“We decided that, for the benefit of community, we’d embrace what (the Can-Am League) is trying to do, and give them a chance to continue playing baseball in that facility,” he said.

The Can-Am league had been hoping to locate a baseball franchise in Ottawa in time for next season. Recently, commissioner Miles Wolff was in Ottawa to meet with councillors to push for that idea rather than a capping the stadium.”

Thanks to an astute blog reader who caught the story; Pete Toms, you’ve been scooped.  What I find problematic, and as the title of the post notes, Mr. Butler is trying awfully hard to be all things to everyone - a solution for the Can Am League, a solution for the Lynx (i.e. assuming that 3.4 million dollar debt that the City believes is owing), a solution for the City (i.e. the stadium doesn’t become another Lansdowne Park).  I’m just wondering one little thing.

Why?

Is retrofitting the baseball stadium to turn it into a concert venue that lucrative a venture?  I don’t think the numbers work out, nor did others (”You’ll never get that kind of money back“).  So what’s going on?  I believe part of the problem for Mr. Butler is that he needs what the Lynx have: the lease.  It won’t be good enough to convince the City that his proposal will fly if he doesn’t have the rights to operate Lynx Stadium along with it.  I’m just not sure why he appears to want it so badly. And what about Mr. Wolff’s desire to play next year instead of waiting until 2009? No problem.

“However, Mr. Butler suggested construction would occur simultaneously with a baseball season.
“Let them play, and we’ll build around it,” he said.”

Play during construction of a domed stadium? That’s beginning to sound awfully desperate. It has all the makings of a B-movie - and a bad B-movie at that. Is there lost treasure buried in centrefield that none of us know about? Fools! If I could just get my hands on that lease!!!!

More later….