Quote:
Originally Posted by Zevo
Dude, don't hold back, tell us how you really feel...
Totally wrong, just look at the poll at the top of the page, but hey, lets not let facts get in the way. As for seperate stadium and arena, are you offering to foot the difference in price? Ya, didn't think so.
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I didn't respond to the poll because "I don't support it in this location and not because I need more info" was not one of the responses. I was at the STH event and it was all rah rah so I just STFU. But these are my concerns:
- CRL finanacing: if the facility will be owned by the City, it's exempt from taxation, so where will the extra tax revenue come from to pay for it? When the area around it gets developed, but how long will that take? I'm assuming the City will be expected to front-end it. So $250M from us taxpayers, repaid in maybe 50 years. The City has debt limit so that will take away from other projects.
- if the City owns it, will the City get the revenue? Naming rights, concessions, parking/user fees, etc. If not, what's the point other than the City foregoing tax revenue? KK made it sound like the owners were being generous, IMO maybe not.
- What's going to happen with the Saddledome? I seriously doubt it's going to become a convention centre, KK said it's an inverted pyramid with a roof that is not that easy to work with. Even if it could, who will pay for that?
- Why create a new entertainment district from scratch? Surely it will be less costly to build using existing infrastructure - i.e. transportation networks, and it doesn't help the City and taxpayers that the Stampede grounds will be much less utilized.
I could go on. I like the concept of a new world class facility, and I agree that a covered stadium/arena combo would be more efficient and less expensive, but I don't think building in a brownfield site where there is little infrastructure in place and uncertain costs is the right way to go. I"m surprised they didn't consider an area within the Stampede Grounds or the East Village there's a lot of land there that could accommodate this.