Quote:
Originally Posted by underGRADFlame
Does everyone forget that the owners are putting up $200 million of their own money for a public owned building? I'm not getting into a pissing match in regards to tax sheltering on a personal tax level, but I don't blame him for protecting his money when over night the government tries to take an extra 8%.
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That $200 million buys them a cheaper lease/operating rights, and effectively pays for itself as the franchise value will increase by at least $100M with a new building.
Also, notice how many renovations the Saddledome, or any arena/stadium goes through in it's lifespan? 10-15 years after completion there will be new trends in arenas, and the Flames will want the city to renovate "the city's" building then.
Who treats their cars better and worries about maintenance more? - people that lease, or buy? I'd rather the Flames had a direct interested in keeping the facility up to date and well maintained themselves.