There's no doubt that an arena spurs economic growth in the area around the arena. Look at Columbus, Los Angeles, etc. Heck, Edmonton has 5 condo projects, a casino and an office tower ready to go when the arena gets a thumbs up (all within 4 blocks of the arena site).
The argument is, is this new growth or is it simply taking growth away from other parts of the city? In a city like Edmonton where downtown revitalization is such a priority for this mayor and council, do they care about this argument?
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