Saturday, June 02, 2007
*VICTORY!!!
Edmontonians are opposed to a new arena. The Edmonton Journal, immediately after reporting that the majority of Edmonton's citizens don't want a new arena, says,
the idea of building a new arena downtown gained momentum this spring after a consultant's report estimated it would cost up to $250 million to upgrade 33-year-old Rexall Place to current standards for the NHL and major concerts.
Momentum? 56% don't want an arena in the downtown core, and 75% are opposed to taxpayer dollars being used. Whose "momentum" was this, really, other than the usual suspects? You got to love the Journal's commitment to making money for themselves, I guess.
Of course, Mayor McCheese says that the poll is premature. And now he says that "no Edmonton taxpayers' money should go into the arena." Also note how he's slipped in the notion of money coming from other levels of government. I should win an award for this shit. I really should. To witness the continued flip-flop of Mayor Stephen Mandel, just click on the label for this post. And remember his irresponsibility, people, when October rolls around.
*God love you, Johnny Drama, you glorious bastard.
the idea of building a new arena downtown gained momentum this spring after a consultant's report estimated it would cost up to $250 million to upgrade 33-year-old Rexall Place to current standards for the NHL and major concerts.
Momentum? 56% don't want an arena in the downtown core, and 75% are opposed to taxpayer dollars being used. Whose "momentum" was this, really, other than the usual suspects? You got to love the Journal's commitment to making money for themselves, I guess.
Of course, Mayor McCheese says that the poll is premature. And now he says that "no Edmonton taxpayers' money should go into the arena." Also note how he's slipped in the notion of money coming from other levels of government. I should win an award for this shit. I really should. To witness the continued flip-flop of Mayor Stephen Mandel, just click on the label for this post. And remember his irresponsibility, people, when October rolls around.
*God love you, Johnny Drama, you glorious bastard.
Labels: New Arena
# posted by andy grabia @ 9:08 am 
Comments:
Momentum? 56% don't want an arena in the downtown core, and 75% are opposed to taxpayer dollars being used. Whose "momentum" was this, really, other than the usual suspects?
Even if the EIG and the City of Edmonton are the only ones pushing that boulder along, momentum is still being gained. I don't think you can deny that there's been some momentum building in this new arena push, Andy; that's the entire reason you have to post these things.
(By the way, I still think that some poor gaming company putting up the arena money in exchange for a license of some sort is the best of every world, if we could ever get that lucky, which we couldn't.)
I think the construction of a new barn for the Oilers may prove extremely problematic for a myriad of reasons.
With the news that everything from the "historic" Paramount Theatre (memo from Europe and the U.S. Northeast: 1952 is not historic) to the Silk Hat is succumbing to the gears of progress, isn't it fair to ask what good an Oilers rink would do in the alloted space that a dozen or so of these 40-story office/condo towers wouldn't?
Andy,
Did you catch the Mayor on CityTV's Big Breakfast on Monday? He claims he's never suggested any Edmonton tax dollars be used.
Which of course is not true, he flipped and flopped all over this one.
Come election time, this will be one of the first questions we ask.
Once again, great work on this Andy. The info you've provided and the research you've done is certainly award worthy.
Without getting into a war with Scott, is not the CTF a bit of a one trick pony? I mean, you guys are against public spending on anything, right? What do you really have to add to a discussion?
"Tyler" the CTF is not opposed to ALL government spending, just wasteful government spending.
We don't oppose the City of Edmonton spending tax dollars to do things like: hire police officers, hire fire fighters, ambulance drivers, fill potholes, build over-passes, etc...
We do oppose the City of Edmonton spending tax dollars on things like: handing out free yo-yo's in a foreign country, giving away free trips to random people (and sounding like sketchy telemarketers at the same time), $5 million to beautify a LRT staircase, glass pyramid city entrances, etc...
So, when it comes to a new arena, we generally don't care what the EIG does provided that no tax dollars are used.
But since the Mayor says that tax dollars may be used, we're opposed because a) the old one is just fine, and b) the benefits to building a new arena downtown or otherwise will provide dubious benefits to the taxpayer who are being asked to foot the bill.
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Momentum? 56% don't want an arena in the downtown core, and 75% are opposed to taxpayer dollars being used. Whose "momentum" was this, really, other than the usual suspects?
Even if the EIG and the City of Edmonton are the only ones pushing that boulder along, momentum is still being gained. I don't think you can deny that there's been some momentum building in this new arena push, Andy; that's the entire reason you have to post these things.
(By the way, I still think that some poor gaming company putting up the arena money in exchange for a license of some sort is the best of every world, if we could ever get that lucky, which we couldn't.)
I think the construction of a new barn for the Oilers may prove extremely problematic for a myriad of reasons.
With the news that everything from the "historic" Paramount Theatre (memo from Europe and the U.S. Northeast: 1952 is not historic) to the Silk Hat is succumbing to the gears of progress, isn't it fair to ask what good an Oilers rink would do in the alloted space that a dozen or so of these 40-story office/condo towers wouldn't?
# posted by 
: June 06, 2007 1:24 am
: June 06, 2007 1:24 am Andy,
Did you catch the Mayor on CityTV's Big Breakfast on Monday? He claims he's never suggested any Edmonton tax dollars be used.
Which of course is not true, he flipped and flopped all over this one.
Come election time, this will be one of the first questions we ask.
Once again, great work on this Andy. The info you've provided and the research you've done is certainly award worthy.
Without getting into a war with Scott, is not the CTF a bit of a one trick pony? I mean, you guys are against public spending on anything, right? What do you really have to add to a discussion?
"Tyler" the CTF is not opposed to ALL government spending, just wasteful government spending.
We don't oppose the City of Edmonton spending tax dollars to do things like: hire police officers, hire fire fighters, ambulance drivers, fill potholes, build over-passes, etc...
We do oppose the City of Edmonton spending tax dollars on things like: handing out free yo-yo's in a foreign country, giving away free trips to random people (and sounding like sketchy telemarketers at the same time), $5 million to beautify a LRT staircase, glass pyramid city entrances, etc...
So, when it comes to a new arena, we generally don't care what the EIG does provided that no tax dollars are used.
But since the Mayor says that tax dollars may be used, we're opposed because a) the old one is just fine, and b) the benefits to building a new arena downtown or otherwise will provide dubious benefits to the taxpayer who are being asked to foot the bill.
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