[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I don't really understand the geographical or logistical issues in the Phoenix market. I gather from what people are saying is that Glendale is terrible and Tempe is awesome, but they both look like they are the same distance on the periphery from Phoenix proper on the map.

Equate it to building the new Calgary Event Center in Falcon Ridge over on the 201. Not really close to where the majority of your ticketholders live or where the money in the city is. Of course, Calgary is much smaller than the Metro Phoenix area, so even this comparison is not fair.

Using Vancouver as a reference for people who have been to both cities, is Glendale kind of like Surrey (no real entertainment district, garbage commercial area, and mostly suburbia and sprawl), while Tempe is more like Burnaby (a little more developed commercially and better infrastructure to move people)?

I wouldn't use Vancouver as an example because Vancouver's road systems are really bad in comparison to Phoenix's. The money in Vancouver is distributed differently as well. Calgary is a better comparable, but even then not really.

On the map, neither Glendale or Tempe look terribly far from Phoenix proper (nowhere as bad as Ottawa and Kanata for example), but I realize that maps can be deceiving.

Tempe is extremely attractive because it is at the confluence of major road arteries for the east valley where the money is. The west side of town is a little more industrial in nature so not as affluent. Metro Phoenix is also really boxed in for growth. The region is constrained by mountain ranges and the many reservations around it (native American, forest, military, and critical infrastructure) limiting growth in certain directions. The real only areas of growth are through the extreme northeast, the east valley, and the extreme southeast. The expansion through the west valley is predominantly industrial and lower income communities. There are pockets of affluence, but the majority of the communities in Glendale, Peoria, Litchfield Park, and Goodyear are very middle-class neighborhoods and the commercial development is industrial. The east valley is different with the growth in east Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek really attracting more affluent populations and more white-collar businesses. The old money in the metro areas are in pockets of Phoenix like Arcadia and then in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale, extending out to Cave Creek/Carefree. The important corridors for traffic from all of these communities remain to be the 101 and 202 loops.

The best location for a new arena is in the location that is proposed. No doubt. The only issue is "should" that space be used and if there is a need for a new arena and yet another entertainment district? As a hockey fan who wants to see NHL hockey, I would say yes. As a citizen of region who understands the needs of the cities and the needs for attracting employers that will pay the money needed to afford to live in the core, I would say no. We already have three arenas capable of hosting large events over 15,000 people. Every municipality has jumped on the entertainment district bandwagon and has developed unique and vibrant areas to be exploited. Every municipality has at least one major performing arts center which sit idle more often than not. The last thing we need is another entertainment district that draws flies when the major tenant does not have an event, which is pretty often given the number of properties available for performances. The land in question should be used for commercial development and more high-end office space which will draw in businesses that will pay a good wage and drive gentrification efforts in both Tempe and south Scottsdale. A new entertainment district will not bring in the businesses that will pay the wages needed to live in the very community where the investment is taking place. This is why these efforts are being viewed with a very skeptical eye, especially those in government. The Glendale and Mesa white elephants (Cubs spring training facilities) have people concerned about the investment, the benefits, and long-term viability of the project.