Quote:
Originally Posted by sureLoss
Even though records show that the owners of the Panthers make a profit from arena operations, panthers are asking for more tax payer dollars to help operate the arena.
They also claim the actual hockey team loses $20-30 million a year.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,7806907.story
The last point is hilarious as it implies the Panthers promise to ice a competitive team only if the county agrees to new terms. |
Seems like the kind of thing someone does in a debt consolidation deal. The owner is shrewd and probably sees an opportunity in this request. The Panthers arena is way out in Sunrise, which is a suburban area nowhere near downtown Miami. They've built the team around a family friendly atmosphere, and while it's a moderately successful model for a team trying to build a fan base, it hasn't worked in Florida to date. The shift towards a hotel and casino nearby is probably a better move for long term financials, as long as there's a deal between the casino and the team, and since there's very little else built up in that area it could create great tax income on gambling winnings for the county. It could be a win/win and it could be a blueprint for success in Vegas if all goes well.
We might sit here and think this is crazy or ridiculous, but things are just different in Florida and you need to think outside of the box to create a successful franchise.