Quote:
Originally Posted by nik-
I'm against the arena and I'm more supportive of an Olympic bid. I still don't think we should do the bid though. An Olympic big could inject federal and provincial cash into actual beneficial infrastructure like the LRT. We'd end up with more long term sporting facilities than we do with just the arena. There is a lot more potential benefit to a city with the Olympics.
There are reasons to support one and not the other, even if the one is a lot more money.
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But just as case for public funds for a new arena is undermined by the reality that average Calgarians can't afford to attend entertainment events that increasingly cater to the wealthy, these sporting facilities will be used almost exclusively by the children of the affluent. Many winter sports today are effectively restricted to the wealthy, who can afford thousands of dollars a year for elite training starting at age nine. Is it really a great public benefit that southern Alberta would have some new ski jumps and slalom courses for a handful of the children of the affluent to train on?