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Maritimes want their own CFL team

Their biggest hurdle is getting a stadium commitment in place
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Fans show their support for a local team at a public town hall meeting in Halifax on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Fans at a CFL commissioner’s “town hall” in Halifax were told the league and a prospective ownership group are maintaining a methodical approach to landing a franchise for the East Coast city, but no announcement is imminent.

Bid proponents Bruce Bowser and Anthony LeBlanc say they expect to have something more concrete to announce within a couple of months, but offered no specifics.

Both say talks are ongoing with various levels of government, including around potential funding arrangements for a stadium.

They say no commitments have been made — and it has been made clear to them any proposed plan would have to led by business concerns.

Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the league is in “lockstep” with the bid group, and is working with them to advance business plans.

However, Ambrosie notes that the “big hurdle” is getting a stadium commitment in place and the league doesn’t want to get ahead of itself until that issue is resolved.

The Canadian Press