There's a consciousness-altering article on the proposed new arena for the Edmonton Oilers in today's Edmonton Journal. The writer, Susan Ruttan, notes:

"The question of a downtown arena seems to be flying under the radar this civic election, rarely raised by candidates or voters. Yet it's likely to be one of the biggest decisions facing a new city council."

Well said. Other than Mayor Stephen Mandel, I have yet to hear a candidate in this year's civic election (voting day is October 15th) speak to or come out on either side of this issue. And even Mandel has been quiet (you won't find a single word about the arena in his platform, for example), perhaps because polling has shown that the majority of Edmontonians a) don't want a new arena in the downtown core and b) really don't want to be asked to foot the bill for it. So, rather than stand behind the idea he instigated--as others, including I, have encouraged him to do--Mandel has chosen to let the issue lie, instead opting to put out a "feasibility report" in December, once the election is over and done with. Other candidates, it appears, are eager to follow that same route.

The other candidates might have acted differently, however, if they'd listened to Lyle Best. Best, as many already know, is the head of the mayor's "Arena Feasibility Committee." He's also a member of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Oilers Alumni Association (Pat Laforge and Cal Nichols are also members of the "feasibility committee," highlighting its lack of independence and objectivity). In the article, Best tries for an audacious misdirect, dropping doublespeak that is for the ages:

"A lot of people would say we don't need another arena," Best said in an interview. "But when you look at it, is there anything wrong with wanting an upgraded downtown core?"

Stop. Read that again. Still confused? No worries. I'll put it in terms you'll easily understand.

Lyle Best: Do not try to fight against spending on a new arena. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.
Edmontonian: What truth?
Lyle Best: There is no new arena.
Edmontonian: There is no new arena?
Lyle Best: Then you'll see, that it is not the EIG that spends, it is only yourself.

Got it? Good. You see, it's not really about building a new hockey arena for the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Investors Group. No, even Best says that would be silly:

Best said building an arena just for itself -- as a new home for the Edmonton Oilers and for concerts -- is hard to justify economically. Neither Oilers games nor concerts produce a lot of profit for an arena, he said.

What this is really about, according to Best, is upgrading the downtown core. And who in their right mind could oppose that? Not I. Not you. No one, obviously, despite the fact that basically zero hard evidence exists to support the claim that a new arena will in fact do that. Despite the fact that the downtown core is already being "revitalized" through other projects, and that the space where the proposed arena will stand might be better suited to other purposes. Despite the fact that one only has to look at the area around the current stadium--Rexall Place--to become suspicious about the economic offshoots of a sporting facility. Despite all those things, Lyle Best wants Edmontonians to know that a new hockey arena doesn't actually serve best the interests of the Edmonton Investors Group. Remember, there is no arena. Instead, Best would like us to know that by erecting the non-arena, we are in fact growing our city. Rather than padding the pockets of millionaires, we are simply engaging in the practice of helping ourselves.

Labels: New Arena