Halifax's professional soccer team pitches city on $40-million stadium

Halifax's professional soccer team has outlined a vision for a permanent downtown stadium that would be the club's new home.

Derek Martin, president of the Halifax Wanderers, presented the idea of a $40-million open-air stadium to the city's community planning and economic development standing committee on Thursday.

"We have brought the community together, consistently drawing over 5,000 citizens and visitors in all kinds of weather for a shared experience," Martin told the committee.

"The reality we face is that a pop-up [stadium] … does not serve the needs of a growing community here in Halifax that, simply put, deserves better."

Martin's company, Sports and Entertainment Atlantic, has had an agreement to rent the Wanderers Grounds from the city for a pop-up soccer stadium since 2017. The team has competed in the Canadian Premier League since 2019.

The contract was originally for three years, and has been extended since then with the most recent contract ending in 2024.

The new stadium would see the current metal bleachers and portable toilets replaced with permanent stands under an overhanging roof and a capacity of 8,500 — about 2,000 more than the current 6,500. Martin also said that would go up to about 13,000 capacity if people stood on the pitch for concerts or other events.

Martin said it's important to "right-size" a stadium given that other sporting events like Halifax Mooseheads hockey games draw around 8,000 people now at the Scotiabank Centre, 

There would be new washrooms, locker rooms, and concessions within the facility, while the existing viewing boxes made out of sea cans would remain.

Martin said he'd like the city to build and control the stadium, with the Wanderers contributing funds over a 30-year lease.

Remaining at the Wanderers Grounds is the ideal spot because people can walk there or take transit, Martin said, and nearby businesses get spinoff benefits of people gathering before and after the games.

Coun. Sam Austin said the idea has all the good economic and social factors that a previous pitch for a CFL stadium in Shannon Park lacked. The estimated price tag for that project was around $120-$140 million.

"I think the proof has been in the pudding in the [Wanderers] success in the city," Austin said.

When asked by Coun. Trish Purdy if the Wanderers would also contribute to the up-front cost of building the stadium, Martin said "we're open to talking about it."