Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
Actually, I think there is a strong comparable between the situation on the Island and the situation with the Sonics.
In the end, civic (and state) politics took precedent over a major sports team. It looks like the same thing will play out in Long Island.
That doesn't mean things can't change in the future, but, cities like Seattle that stick to their guns are likely to reap the future benefits when private money decides that it's worth it, even if the public doesn't subsidize the building, like what seems to be happening right now.
I think Seattle expansion is a great idea.
|
To a point its the same. However, Seattle more or less publiclly finananced the new baseball stadium in the early 2000's, and new football stadium a couple years after. The downtown arena a few years after that was bad timing.
The arena was no better then the old American Airlines (I think) arena in Phoeni, where the Suns and Coyotes played, but new arenas were on the way, plus Phoenix had ownership tight with the NBA office.
Suprised Sacramento lasted as long as they have. I was in that arena in the mid 1990's and its far too small (similar to the AA Arena in PHX) for an NBA team and no room for renos, and on top of that the city itself doesn't have the market to draw from.
I think this guy will be going after NBA team hard, with an NHL team as a consolation prize...but lets see his arena plan first and if its one like Katz....the "I'll put up 1/2 the funds for the arena, buy the NBA franchise with local investors, but the rest needs to come from somewhere else and then we'll have an NBA team, for a fraction it would've cost the taxpayers to have kept the Sonics back when" sell job.