ARE THE ARGOS HOMELESS?

TORONTO (CP) – Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment isn’t closing the door on the CFL or the Toronto Argonauts.

Tim Leiweke, MLSE’s president and chief executive officer, said the organization is going ahead with the proposed $120-million renovation of BMO Field without funding commitments from either the provincial or federal governments to ensure the first phase is completed in time for next summer’s Pan-Am Games. That prompted reports MLSE was no longer interested in modernizing its facility to include a field capable of accommodating the Argos, casting serious doubt about the CFL franchise’s future.

But Leiweke said the issue of a renovated BMO Field including a playing surface capable of accommodating a CFL franchise is simply on the back burner.

“Our current situation is really geared towards trying to figure out how we get at least the first phase of this renovation done in time for the Pan-Am Games,” he said. “That’s really the change here.

“This is just about creating a three-phase process instead of the original two-phase process. The third phase, which would be renovations to make the stadium work for the CFL, would be subject to finishing off the financing from the province for the stadium and the feds for big events.”

The Argos have a lease at Rogers Centre through 2017. However, the deal won’t be renewed past that date, meaning the CFL club must find a new home field in time for the 2018 season.

The original plan was for a two-phased renovation that included building a roof and installing a playing surface capable of accommodating a CFL-sized field. The project was to include $10 million each from city, provincial and federal governments, with MLSE covering the remaining $90 million.

In April, Toronto city council approved a $10-million investment in the renovations. But Leiweke said construction must begin in September for the facility to be ready for Pan-Am Games and MLSE simply couldn’t wait for the province and federal governments.

“We don’t want the lack of a definitive agreement with either the province or the feds to ultimately hurt Toronto and Ontario’s opportunity to host a great Pan-Am Games,” he said. “The Pan-Am Games are very dependent on us for the rugby sevens competition so the city has requested we find a way make sure we get the renovation and construction done on time and we’re going to agree to that and to the credit of our owners, they’re willing to take this additional risk.

“This is not unexpected.”

Leiweke said MLSE’s purchase of the Argos from owner David Braley was never a condition of the BMO renovation. Leiweke admits the subject has been discussed but isn’t a priority.

“I’m a fan of David Braley’s, I think he’s a good man and I admire what he’s done for the Argos and CFL,” Leiweke said. “We’ve talked about the Argos but right now we’ve got our work cut out for us in trying to get BMO ready to go for TFC next year and in particular, the Pan-Am Games next year.

“We’ve made it clear to the city that if the province’s funding of the stadium and the feds’ funding of the events come through we’re obligated to renovate the stadium for the CFL too.”

Even then, though, Leiweke said that final phase would take time to implement.

“It would probably be adding it to phase two and when we begin work on the roof, which will be September of next year,” he said. “So we’ll have to push that renovation off until after the Pan-Am Games to make sure we do nothing to take away from them.”