Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Sound and Fury
This bias usually takes the form of uncritically parroting stadium proponents' economic and social promises, quoting stadium supporters far more frequently than stadium opponents, overlooking the numerous objective academic studies on the topic, and failing to independently examine the multitude of failed stadium-centered promises throughout the country, especially those in oft-cited "success cities" such as Denver and Cleveland."
--Rick Eckstein, Philadelphia Enquirer
I'm convinced that lifelong Edmontonian Katz wants to leave a lasting legacy."
--Graham Hicks, Edmonton Sun
Ahem.
Some links from the past few days.
New Oilers Arena Underway--Gordon Kent, Edmonton Journal
Much Ado About Nothing--John MacKinnon, Edmonton Journal
Progress on Arena--Unsigned Editorial, Edmonton Journal
City in Dark on Arena--Frank Landry, Edmonton Sun
Patience is Key to Worthwhile Arena--Graham Hicks, Edmonton Sun
Despite Funding Questions, Edmonton Oilers Proceed With New Downtown Arena--Canadian Press
Arena Could Leave Poor Our in Cold, Advocates Say--Richard Warnica, Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Arena Developments--Brad Humphreys, International Journal of Sports Finance
Columbus a Model for Edmonton?--Scott Hennig, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Katz Plan Should Go Ahead, But With Strict Conditions--Scott McKeen, Edmonton Journal
Labels: New Arena
# posted by andy grabia @ 10:36 am 
Comments:
Interesting that in that Hicks article, LaForge is quoted as saying the new arena will "not be smaller" than the 22,000 seat in Bell Centre. Yet in "City Shaping," the report LaForge kept telling everyone over and over again to read, the number is 18,000. Is he including suites and such in the Bell comparison? Or does he mean it will be physically bigger?
What we do have is Daryl Katz's commitment to kick-start the arena precinct with his own money, to the tune of $100 million. "No other new arena (in North America)," said Pat, "has started with that kind of traction,"
That's another line from the Hicks article. First off, who ends a sentence with a comma? Second, what the heck is LaForge talking about? Are we supposed to applaud Katz for putting up 30% of the proposed cost of an arena, when other owners in Canada have built their arenas all with their own money?
I can't find the transcript so I'm not sure, but I think Laforge was talking about the size of the Bell Centre and then mentioned the new arena won't be smaller but was in fact referring to Northlands, not the Bell Centre. I think Hicks misunderstood what Laforge was referring to.
Hey, guys, remember when Katz bought the team from The All-Time Greatest Guys in Edmonton History and everyone was happy because this surely put an end to the publicly-funded arena bologna?
Keep the faith, Grabia. The good news is, that with the province facing an $8 BILLION deficit, this stupidity is far more likely to die a whimpering death.
And I'd just like to see Katz threaten to move the team. To... Hamilton, I suppose. Or Tampa. Phoenix?
This is what annoys me the most about the whole thing. "Give me $900 million or I will keep asking for $900 million until you give it to me." My answer? Keep asking, mofo.
I love how Councillor Jane Batty thinks it will be a "huge boon" without knowing any details of the plan.
And anytime a reporter wants to ask just exactly what is wrong with Rexall other than it being 35 years old and having been recently renovated, that'd be just neat.
Mike, don't you remember, there's not enough toilets for today's modern bladders. Bladders were at least 15% smaller in 1974.
I can't find the transcript so I'm not sure, but I think Laforge was talking about the size of the Bell Centre and then mentioned the new arena won't be smaller but was in fact referring to Northlands, not the Bell Centre. I think Hicks misunderstood what Laforge was referring to.
Beat me to it. Of course, the logical reply then is, "no shit, Sherlock." Did anyone really think that the arena was going to be smaller than LITERALLY CRUSH?
Much as I don't care to read too much about the arena politics personally, I know it's important to my interests, not just as an Albertan taxpayer, but as a current citizen of Big Brother to the south, which will inevitably want the same shiny things that Little Brother to the north has, even though the arena here is newer, bigger, architecturally distinct, and within walking distance of downtown.
And because I like run-on sentences.
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Interesting that in that Hicks article, LaForge is quoted as saying the new arena will "not be smaller" than the 22,000 seat in Bell Centre. Yet in "City Shaping," the report LaForge kept telling everyone over and over again to read, the number is 18,000. Is he including suites and such in the Bell comparison? Or does he mean it will be physically bigger?
What we do have is Daryl Katz's commitment to kick-start the arena precinct with his own money, to the tune of $100 million. "No other new arena (in North America)," said Pat, "has started with that kind of traction,"
That's another line from the Hicks article. First off, who ends a sentence with a comma? Second, what the heck is LaForge talking about? Are we supposed to applaud Katz for putting up 30% of the proposed cost of an arena, when other owners in Canada have built their arenas all with their own money?
I can't find the transcript so I'm not sure, but I think Laforge was talking about the size of the Bell Centre and then mentioned the new arena won't be smaller but was in fact referring to Northlands, not the Bell Centre. I think Hicks misunderstood what Laforge was referring to.
Hey, guys, remember when Katz bought the team from The All-Time Greatest Guys in Edmonton History and everyone was happy because this surely put an end to the publicly-funded arena bologna?
Keep the faith, Grabia. The good news is, that with the province facing an $8 BILLION deficit, this stupidity is far more likely to die a whimpering death.
And I'd just like to see Katz threaten to move the team. To... Hamilton, I suppose. Or Tampa. Phoenix?
This is what annoys me the most about the whole thing. "Give me $900 million or I will keep asking for $900 million until you give it to me." My answer? Keep asking, mofo.
I love how Councillor Jane Batty thinks it will be a "huge boon" without knowing any details of the plan.
And anytime a reporter wants to ask just exactly what is wrong with Rexall other than it being 35 years old and having been recently renovated, that'd be just neat.
Mike, don't you remember, there's not enough toilets for today's modern bladders. Bladders were at least 15% smaller in 1974.
I can't find the transcript so I'm not sure, but I think Laforge was talking about the size of the Bell Centre and then mentioned the new arena won't be smaller but was in fact referring to Northlands, not the Bell Centre. I think Hicks misunderstood what Laforge was referring to.
Beat me to it. Of course, the logical reply then is, "no shit, Sherlock." Did anyone really think that the arena was going to be smaller than LITERALLY CRUSH?
Much as I don't care to read too much about the arena politics personally, I know it's important to my interests, not just as an Albertan taxpayer, but as a current citizen of Big Brother to the south, which will inevitably want the same shiny things that Little Brother to the north has, even though the arena here is newer, bigger, architecturally distinct, and within walking distance of downtown.
And because I like run-on sentences.
Post a Comment
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