Stadium deal nearly done

Financing in place for facility at Ex Ball now in court of key city groups

After almost three years of false starts, Kevan Pipe says it’s finally about to happen. A deal to build a 20,000- seat, $63 million soccer stadium at Exhibition Place will go to public officials today for the first of a series of votes after representatives from the city of Toronto, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and the Canadian Soccer Association yesterday hammered out an agreement. “We had marathon sessions and it was intense but in the end we got it done,” said Pipe, the CSA’s chief operating officer. “ We have all the financing in place with three levels of government, MLSE and the private sector. To say this is a significant day for soccer is an understatement.” Deputy mayor Joe Pantalone said the deal will go to the board of governors of Exhibition Place for a vote today and to the city’s policy and finance committee tomorrow. The full Toronto city council is slated to vote on the deal some time next week.

“ I’m sure some people will ask questions but at the end of the day I think they’ll raise their hands” in favour, Pantalone told the Star. Major League Soccer officials last week said they want a team in Toronto in 2007 but that council has to agree by Oct. 31 in order to make it happen.

Pantalone said the city agreed to kick in another $ 300,000 to make the deal work, bringing Toronto’s contribution to $ 9.8 million. The federal government long ago agreed to pay $27 million for a stadium in Toronto to host games as part of the 2007 FIFA world youth soccer championships, while the province said it would kick in $8 million. MLSE will contribute about $8 million towards the stadium, which it will operate.