Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunderball
Alright, use Minneapolis as an example. Great US market, lost their team, took 7 years to get a new one and required a new arena to be built in the meantime. A facility that was heavily reliant on public funding.
Part of attracting business is having amenities in the city that attracts workers to stay. I'm sorry, a $225m library and a $200m Music Centre near a homeless shelter isn't going to do it.
As much as we love slamming Edmonton, what does Calgary have aside from the mountains that Edmonton doesn't? If I was the mayor of Calgary, I'd be fighting tooth and nail to retain every advantage over Edmonton.
Say what you will about the arena debate, but what big event/concert/tournament can Edmonton not host? Calgary need facilities badly.
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Still kind of irrelevant to his argument the NHL would be petty and never return to Calgary if they don't build an arena now. NHL will go to markets that can make money and are successful. If the Flames were ever allowed to leave, if Calgary did build a new arena down the road, there would be a team back as soon as there was a market in trouble (oh wait, there's like four of those already, who apparently are immovable according to Bettman, but moving from a major corporate hub will be allowed? Hmmmm.....)
As to the bolded well....Montreal has pretty much everything, yet Calgary has significantly more corporate head offices. You could have every single major sport in North America in Calgary, but if the corporate tax rate in Alberta was the highest in North America, you're not attracting any businesses whatsoever. Also, this kind of thinking, that sports are way more important than social good, is exactly how you end up with President Agent Orange. Sports are not more important than a library or homeless shelter, and it's pretty offensive to suggest otherwise.