Quote:
Originally Posted by DiracSpike
You seriously don't think there was an avenue to getting an arena deal done with the Olympics?
Including CSEC kicking in some funds for a new arena and/or stadium would have given this bid the boot in the ass to push it over the finish line. No niche upgrades to Nakisha and Big 4 or whatever else, money for a real arena and field house and this thing passes easily.
Whether that's on the BidCo or CSEC I don't know. The whole thing is a shame really.
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I think the main avenue to getting an arena deal done was by having upgrades done to McMahon for free (EDIT: for CSEC) would have helped placate CSEC on Plan B not having any solution for the Stampeders, which would help bridge the gap there. And the city getting it's main piece of sport infrastructure funded with the fieldhouse would mean there was wiggle room on their side to accept some costs as well. Going even deeper, the likely scope creep of the games would then involve the Saddledome's demolition being worked into Olympic costs (also helps bridge the gap between the city and CSEC)
Now there is no funding for a Stampeders solution leaving that issue out there. No funding for a fieldhouse, so that remains the city's main unfunded wish list item, and no potential ways to include anything with the Saddledome into potential Olympic costs, so we are back to zero there.
But it's nothing but cognitive dissonance to try and say the Olympic bid was rushed an unclear, but wanting the arena somehow wedged in at the last minute to save it.