Quote:
Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce
I assume the bolded above is in your opinion? (which I agree with, btw)
But others would say (and I would agree with them too)
It's simple:
An NHL team in a brand new world class facility makes the city more attractive.
A more attractive city helps attract/retain wealthy people.
Wealthy people invest in the economy.
The economy grows.
The city's tax base increases.
The increased taxes, if you like, could fund the arts, after school programs, shelters, or any other red herring that people who only care about their taxes bring up.
This is why we have an NHL team in a brand new state of the art facility - the quality of a city is directly tied to its prosperity.
|
Right, which is why there's a benefit to having a team.
However, that's not enough to justify public funding - the benefit has to be greater than the cost, and the benefit has to be something that would not be derived anyways (from, say, private investment).
If the Flames are to get public funding, I want the public money to go to things that are public. Subsidizing the leisure of the wealthy doesn't sit well, even if attracting them pays for itself.