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Originally Posted by karl262
I've never understood why some people are so against any tax dollars going towards a sports arena. A sports arena is very different from any other type of real estate, it will not appreciate and when it reaches the end of its life cycle its worthless. Once the new arena is built, and who knows when that will be, the 'dome will be demolished because it isn't worth anything. Yes, the owners are very wealthy and some people feel that they should pay for it because they can, but they didn't become wealthy by owning a sports franchise. Very few actually see the kind of returns on their investments in sports franchises that they should to make something a sound business decision. They do it because they are fans primarily.
No business organization is going to foot the bill for an entire arena when they are barely making a profit. If having the Flames in Calgary is a net benefit for the citizens in all respects, then public money should go into a new arena. The debate should be how many tax dollars are put into the new arena, not if any should be put in at all.
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I cannot disagree enough with you. To argue the Saddeldome is near worthlessness, when the flames are a profitable club and the concerts that roll through are profitable (Garth Brooks says hi) proves it has worth. If had had no worth, it wouldn't have multiple profitable clubs attached to it.
Why do I not want my tax dollars going to that arena? Because I use it 5-6 times a year, I drive our roads every day. Build me overpasses and LRT lines to the north/SE.
As for the flames "barley making a profit", I would love to see some sort of proof of this. If the NHL is really that unprofitable in our city, and we need to invest in an arena to keep the club in our city (I agree, they bring investments to our city) we can have this discussion. However, no one believes the flames will be relocated, and so the flames should get $0.00 funding from me. When Katz threatened to move the oilers, no one believed it, yet somehow that argument worked, which made me think of him has a sleazy owner.
I don't blame the owners for lobbying for free money, I would in their position, but there is no reason to give it to them. If they want something new, let them build it, otherwise I will use our very worthwhile arena 5-6 times a year for the next 20 years.
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They do it because they are fans primarily.
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This is bull, they do it because they want to charge more for more luxury boxes and seats, and their investment of the flames becomes worth a whole lot more money. This why they want a new arena, because it substantially increases a large investment they own.