While Toronto Mayor Rob Ford continues to believe the city will host its first NFL team in the coming years, Toronto’s Economic Development Committee says the GTA should have a second NHL team.
By a vote of 3 to 1, the TEDC determined it will send a letter to the mayor asking that he express “great interest” to the NHL that Toronto wants a second team.
In an interview with CTV, one of the primary backers of the proposal, city councilor Josh Colle, said Toronto has more than enough fan support.
“There are five million people in the region already,” said Colle. “There are going to be a million new people in the region in the next 10 years or so as the market grows.”
City councilor Michael Thompson, the dissenting vote, said Toronto can’t afford to host another NHL team and that it would create a traffic nightmare for commuters.
According to CityTV, a University of Toronto report called “The New Economics of the NHL” concluded the GTA could support two hockey franchises.
Having another NHL company would be a boon for Toronto storage, as more people would be attracted to the area and more units would likely be purchased.