Friday, February 23, 2007
Friday Odds & Ends
Some items to quickly share:
• It looks like Scott Petersen of The Edmonton Journal liked my post about the University of Alberta Golden Bears so much that he decided to use it for his own story two days later. Shin-pad whack to Abboud for the link.
• Pursuant to my post yesterday about Mayor Mandel's push for a new hockey arena, another "story" in today's Edmonton Journal. Remember Dan Mason, the "expert" the Canadian Press sourced last time they spun this story for the Mayor and the EIG? The guy Tyler figured out doesn't have a single degree in economics or business? Oh, he's back, with an absolute yarn of a tale.
University of Alberta physical education professor Dan Mason said sports stadiums have been at the centre of several successful American downtown rehabilitation projects, often helped by civic financing.
For example, San Diego, Calif., put $554 million US toward a new baseball field for the Padres that opened in 2004 as well as nearby amenities after the owner guaranteed the project would spur at least $450 million in development for the surrounding rundown neighbourhood.
There has actually been $4.2-billion worth of growth, which is paying for the municipality's investment through higher property taxes, Mason said.
"Cities have smartened up and they're viewing the facilities as the centre of a much broader economic development project. That's why they tend to fit better in downtown."
Anyone believing this fairy-tale should read the Rappaport-Wilkerson or Coates-Humprey reports for some clarification. At least the Journal reported that Mason's a Phys. Ed. professor.
And apparently, according to the Mayor, we only need a quick review, and then we can decide this in the summer, when no one's watching, and probably right around the time the Mayor wants to launch his election campaign at our expense:
A decision on whether to take the "bold step" of building a new downtown arena to replace Rexall Place could be made by mid-summer, Mayor Stephen Mandel said Thursday.
He wants people from the city, Northlands Park and the Edmonton Oilers to pick a committee within six weeks to look at financial, engineering, design and other issues, with recommendations by the end of July.
"I don't think this has to be complicated. In general parameters, you find out what these things are going to cost, and then look at the locations, and go from there."
...If the city goes ahead with a new site, it would need to find funding and a design, he said, adding a building could be finished in three or four years.
Unbelievable. Shockingly, the Mayor still hasn't been forced to answer the question of who will pay for this. Nod to Avi for the link.
• A hilarious video called "Clarke, the Canadian Hockey Goalie", from Salon. Glove tap to Hall-Z for the link.
• My salary cap post from this morning is still awesome. Plus, I spent so much time on those pretty graphs and images. Give it the love it deserves.
• Ball hockey is on for tonight. Email me if you need the address. Have a good weekend everyone!
• It looks like Scott Petersen of The Edmonton Journal liked my post about the University of Alberta Golden Bears so much that he decided to use it for his own story two days later. Shin-pad whack to Abboud for the link.
• Pursuant to my post yesterday about Mayor Mandel's push for a new hockey arena, another "story" in today's Edmonton Journal. Remember Dan Mason, the "expert" the Canadian Press sourced last time they spun this story for the Mayor and the EIG? The guy Tyler figured out doesn't have a single degree in economics or business? Oh, he's back, with an absolute yarn of a tale.
For example, San Diego, Calif., put $554 million US toward a new baseball field for the Padres that opened in 2004 as well as nearby amenities after the owner guaranteed the project would spur at least $450 million in development for the surrounding rundown neighbourhood.
There has actually been $4.2-billion worth of growth, which is paying for the municipality's investment through higher property taxes, Mason said.
"Cities have smartened up and they're viewing the facilities as the centre of a much broader economic development project. That's why they tend to fit better in downtown."
Anyone believing this fairy-tale should read the Rappaport-Wilkerson or Coates-Humprey reports for some clarification. At least the Journal reported that Mason's a Phys. Ed. professor.
And apparently, according to the Mayor, we only need a quick review, and then we can decide this in the summer, when no one's watching, and probably right around the time the Mayor wants to launch his election campaign at our expense:
He wants people from the city, Northlands Park and the Edmonton Oilers to pick a committee within six weeks to look at financial, engineering, design and other issues, with recommendations by the end of July.
"I don't think this has to be complicated. In general parameters, you find out what these things are going to cost, and then look at the locations, and go from there."
...If the city goes ahead with a new site, it would need to find funding and a design, he said, adding a building could be finished in three or four years.
Unbelievable. Shockingly, the Mayor still hasn't been forced to answer the question of who will pay for this. Nod to Avi for the link.
• A hilarious video called "Clarke, the Canadian Hockey Goalie", from Salon. Glove tap to Hall-Z for the link.
• My salary cap post from this morning is still awesome. Plus, I spent so much time on those pretty graphs and images. Give it the love it deserves.
• Ball hockey is on for tonight. Email me if you need the address. Have a good weekend everyone!
Labels: New Arena
# posted by andy grabia @ 1:23 pm 
Comments:
CMON PEOPLE! Sac and I are on fire today. Give us some love! Just because it's Friday, doesn't mean you can slack off on your commenting responsibilities. BDHS, you wound me. Is Allan dead? Did Peter ever make it back to Calgary, or was he jumped at the Edmonton hotel with his Flames jersey on? Sweatyo. More like Sweaty-ho. Dennis: :) ;) LOL. IMO. :) Sex. Hilton. :)
And apparently, according to the Mayor, we only need a quick review, and then we can decide this in the summer, when no one's watching, and probably right around the time the Mayor wants to launch his election campaign at our expense
Well this is the same council who rammed through their 21% pay hike a mere 5 calendar days after seeing the proposal last summer, when virtually nobody was watching. And refused to allow any members of the public address council on voting day.
Oh, and those 5 days included a weekend and Games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.
At least the Mayor has gone on record as saying that taxpayers won't be burdened with the cost. Let's hope he says the same thing after the election.
Thanks for the links to the reports. I apparently have a bunch of reading to do.
Scott, if you work your way back through my links, there should be plenty of other info for you to look at. I should probably go back and label all the posts we've done on the issue, so that they are easier to find. We've done a ton. I did this post today, one yesterday, and this one here collects what we and others had written before. Others can probably chip in on where to find other info, as well.
I forgot to mention checking out the Sports Economist site. They should have plenty of stuff in their archives on the economics of stadium building.
No question BOA has been on top of this from the start. I've been gathering stories, links and reports for my files and I think 90% of them were found right here.
Those two you posted today, I hadn't seen yet. They look like pure gold.
Just don't ever delete your archives!!!
AG, its your own fault that nobody has time to put in a comment. They're STILL READING your dostoyevsky-length post below . . .
AG, its your own fault that nobody has time to put in a comment. They're STILL READING your dostoyevsky-length post below . . .
Fair enough. But there's so much to talk about! I'm currently fighting against doing another post about that Sens/Sabres game. I can't believe how angry some people are about that initial hit. The blindside aspect was the only part that worries me. It was less than a second after the puck was gone, there was no elbow, there was no hit to the head. Yet I have to listen to Keith Jones and Lindy Ruff go on and on about it.
Hey, Andy, did you read the op-ed in the Journal today? Skate slower in political arena
Full of tidbits like:
- Why do we need a new arena? And why now?
- Who wants a new arena, and who stands to benefit?
- a key component absent so far from the arena discussions is just how much public money will be expected for the project. If the principal goal of building a new arena is to create more boxes and high-value seats for the Oilers, why is this a question for taxpayers?
Not new, but perhaps new for the Journal.
Damn Andy, you're giving the Journal their best material.
Maybe Scott Petersen should be forced to pay a subscription to this blog.
And Scott, if you're reading this: YOU ARE A HACK.
Unbelievable. I had not seen that. I guess it's just easier to borrow the opinions than ask us for them. Of course, the op-ed is unsigned. I wonder who wrote it?
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CMON PEOPLE! Sac and I are on fire today. Give us some love! Just because it's Friday, doesn't mean you can slack off on your commenting responsibilities. BDHS, you wound me. Is Allan dead? Did Peter ever make it back to Calgary, or was he jumped at the Edmonton hotel with his Flames jersey on? Sweatyo. More like Sweaty-ho. Dennis: :) ;) LOL. IMO. :) Sex. Hilton. :)
And apparently, according to the Mayor, we only need a quick review, and then we can decide this in the summer, when no one's watching, and probably right around the time the Mayor wants to launch his election campaign at our expense
Well this is the same council who rammed through their 21% pay hike a mere 5 calendar days after seeing the proposal last summer, when virtually nobody was watching. And refused to allow any members of the public address council on voting day.
Oh, and those 5 days included a weekend and Games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.
At least the Mayor has gone on record as saying that taxpayers won't be burdened with the cost. Let's hope he says the same thing after the election.
Thanks for the links to the reports. I apparently have a bunch of reading to do.
Scott, if you work your way back through my links, there should be plenty of other info for you to look at. I should probably go back and label all the posts we've done on the issue, so that they are easier to find. We've done a ton. I did this post today, one yesterday, and this one here collects what we and others had written before. Others can probably chip in on where to find other info, as well.
I forgot to mention checking out the Sports Economist site. They should have plenty of stuff in their archives on the economics of stadium building.
No question BOA has been on top of this from the start. I've been gathering stories, links and reports for my files and I think 90% of them were found right here.
Those two you posted today, I hadn't seen yet. They look like pure gold.
Just don't ever delete your archives!!!
AG, its your own fault that nobody has time to put in a comment. They're STILL READING your dostoyevsky-length post below . . .
AG, its your own fault that nobody has time to put in a comment. They're STILL READING your dostoyevsky-length post below . . .
Fair enough. But there's so much to talk about! I'm currently fighting against doing another post about that Sens/Sabres game. I can't believe how angry some people are about that initial hit. The blindside aspect was the only part that worries me. It was less than a second after the puck was gone, there was no elbow, there was no hit to the head. Yet I have to listen to Keith Jones and Lindy Ruff go on and on about it.
Hey, Andy, did you read the op-ed in the Journal today? Skate slower in political arena
Full of tidbits like:
- Why do we need a new arena? And why now?
- Who wants a new arena, and who stands to benefit?
- a key component absent so far from the arena discussions is just how much public money will be expected for the project. If the principal goal of building a new arena is to create more boxes and high-value seats for the Oilers, why is this a question for taxpayers?
Not new, but perhaps new for the Journal.
# posted by 
: February 24, 2007 8:29 am
: February 24, 2007 8:29 am Damn Andy, you're giving the Journal their best material.
Maybe Scott Petersen should be forced to pay a subscription to this blog.
And Scott, if you're reading this: YOU ARE A HACK.
Unbelievable. I had not seen that. I guess it's just easier to borrow the opinions than ask us for them. Of course, the op-ed is unsigned. I wonder who wrote it?
Post a Comment
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