Tim Hortons Field will be open for Monday's Argonauts-Ticats game
Officials issued occupancy permit around 9 p.m. Sunday
Game on.
The good news came from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats soon after 9 p.m. Sunday, the night before the Cats face the Toronto Argonauts at the new Tim Hortons Field in the annual match-up held every Labour Day.
City officials issued a building permit for the stadium, which had sustained months of delays, a colder-than-usual winter and speculation its opening date would fall, embarrassingly, after Labour Day.
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Crews and building inspectors were on-site all day Sunday as work continued ahead of Monday's game at the new Tim Hortons Field.
City staff received all required documents and completed their inspections, issuing an occupancy permit for the stadium Sunday night, said Michael Kirkopoulos, who works in the city manager's office.
"The Labour Day Classic is a go!" Kirkopoulos said.
Sunday afternoon, crews focused on major components needed for the occupancy permit including site clean-up, protective barriers and fire safety measures.
Meanwhile, the team was setting up the stadium’s lounges, bars and concession stands, said Glenn Gibson, the Tiger-Cats’ president of business operations.
The team was excited to be “decorating our new home,” Gibson said Sunday. "The stadium is fabulous."
Even with the occupancy permit, Tim Hortons Field, which will eventually have permanent seating for 24,000 spectators, won’t be running at full capacity.
Sections of the stands that will house around 6,000 seats will still be off-limits, the team says. A number of VIP and entertainment areas also won’t be ready.