[Cali Panthers Fan]

I don't get most of you.

Okay, so money is being spent, taxpayer money. Guess what? That money has already been collected, so you aren't getting it back. What would you rather do with it?

There is a lot of cynicism in government and corporations, and I get that, but honestly, y'all aren't being cynical enough.

The reality is that if you want to keep Calgary relevant in the view of North America, you have to have a major event center, and realistically, it needs to keep a professional sports team. It's smoke and mirrors, but it gives the impression that you're better than maybe you really are. If you lose that, you fall into a bracket of lower end cities that cannot attract investors. It's dumb, but the places that touring artists are willing to go to and NOT willing to go to matter for public perception.

This is an investment in Calgary as an idea of a modern vibrant city. These groups all believe that this will not only maintain a franchise in Calgary, but it will help to develop a part of the city into a space that will support small business, hotels, and possibly even residential development. All of that takes a city from being slightly run-down where investors are wary of bothering to look at it all, into a place where people want to put their money because they see opportunity.

It's all a game folks. Create the impression that the city is thriving with public investment and private investments will come. The people benefit in the long run, and the public dollars end up being well spent.

The alternative is really grim. If you want examples, look at any number of crumbling cities across North America that do not invest public dollars into big projects.

In short, you all will be happy in the long run. Stop bitching and be thankful that anyone is still willing to spend money on this.

God, it's a miracle that the funding for the Olympics happened at all.