Hamilton Tiger-Cats and city reach a stadium deal

After debates and numerous meetings over deficiencies with the new stadium, the city and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have reached a temporary rental agreement for the rest of the year.

The two sides met Tuesday to discuss outstanding issues with Tim Hortons Field stadium, including seats with obstructed views and issues with draft beer lines and the media room, among others.

The Ticats have argued that the stadium deficiencies violate a licensing agreement with the city. The city argued otherwise.

Under the new temporary rental agreement, the Ticats will pay $700,000 in rent for the rest of 2015, and $1.4 million for the next 20 years, as per a rental agreement signed last year.

The city, meanwhile, has agreed to fix the "remaining operational and infrastructural deficiencies at the stadium that have been undertaken," the city said in a statement Tuesday. 

The city and the CFL team will take legal action together to recoup the cost from Ontario Sports Solutions, the company that built the stadium.

Stadium deficiencies have been a hot topic over the past year. The original completion deadline was June 30, 2014, but Ontario Sports Solutions crews didn't finish it until May.

Negotiating the 20-year lease agreement between the city and Ticats was also contentious, squeaking through with a 9-7 council vote last year. That agreement was the result of years of negotiations.

Once the stadium deficiencies are fixed, the city said, that 20-year agreement will be in full effect.