Quote:
Originally Posted by Table 5
Sorry, but this is not a partnership. Only one entity here has a real need. The City of Calgary does not need a new hockey arena for the Flames. The Flames are the ones who need the City because they don't want to spend their own money.
The City is being asked to take on a good part of the financial burden and risk, and none of the financial benefits. Hell of a partnership.
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While "need" is a dangerous and interpretive term, your statement about the City and there "need" is actually false.
While I don't dissagree, the Flames "need" a new rink the most, people who flat out feel the city has no role or desire in this is kidding themselves. City definetely "needs" or at the very least, has a strong desire for a facility where Calgarians can go and watch the entertainment products CSE currently provide, along with many other shows and concerts that come and go into town.
To pretend the city would be OK with losing the Flames, and will continue to be OK with having every single artist out on tour by pass Calgary for Edmonton is simply ignorant. There are both financial and quality of life impacts for the city if they don't replace the Dome at some point.
This ins't a black and white issue (nothing in life ever is). I'm not saying it needs to be a 50/50 partnership, and I won't claim to be close enough to the financials for the city (or their municipal priorities) to know "how much" of a stake they should have in this, but to pretend that they don't have one at all is ridiculous.
The city wants or at the very least will want a new arena at some point. That they have a need /desire for this isn't even debatable, what is debatable is appropriate level of support based on their desire, and of course how timing lines up between their desire and needs and the Flames.
It's why I try to steer clear of these threads, but occasionally (clearly) can't help myself. The all or nothing mentality of these debates is painful. I'm totally ok with people's positions of no private funding for projects like this (whether I agree or not) but this suggestion that City shouldn't / doesn't have a stake in this is crazy.