Enjoyment of "the thing" should not be the sole criteria for determining who gets money. Hockey and the arts are so different. Hockey teams are owned by billionaires with a very much financial centred interest. A giant art museum wouldn't be in it for the money, but rather to provide the arts for a community.
Furthermore, the investment over the long run in a hockey team could make a lot of wealth for the owners. I am not certain how much the flames were purchased for, but it certainly wasn't over 200 million, which is roughly where it is valued at now.
The art museum on the other hand wouldnt be purchased by a billionaire(s) for the purpose of holding onto it for a long time to eventually sell it. The two industries are just so different that a lot more has to go into it than simply "I like this, you like that, lets both get money".
Take also into consideration that the visual arts, specifically, are so underfunded in Calgary right now that I personally believe that some big time government funding has to happen in that area. On that point I'm sure there will be lots of disagreement however.
|