New Arena is Boring
RIP Arena 1.0!
Were you inspired, last week, by Mr Katz's video? Do you share his vision? Do you know what it is? Are you captivated by the PR campaign?
Is the Mayor's idea of a $5 ticket tax, yet another ticket tax, on top of the current one, anything but a lame, lazy, politically expedient traditional financing model. Why don't we just pay cash for it? Is any one thinking how that could be done? Why does the community need to create more debt? How is creating more debt a benefit?
The financing 'deal' as proposed, is unacceptable. Can you imagine any one on the Arena committee accepting this deal, if it was presented to them. Ok it's an opening salvo. That's an old strategy, too. An old closed non-transparent way of doing business. The way things are done. Is the best, our business and political elite has to offer.
Surely, Mr Elzinga will do better than grease the skids for slot machines. And surely he won't recommend taking the gaming license away from the Horse Racing industry and give it to The Oilers Community Foundation. That's a zero sum game. Do we need more gambling?
Mayor Stephen, what happen to your vision of east end re development? Where did it go? Gosh wasn't this revitalization supposed to be dramatic inspirational, new and different? Engage the community. Tap it's collective expertise.
Why do we need another Casino, hotel, franchised coffee shops, and bars, we've got those on every corner, now.
Why do we use Los Angeles, Columbus, and Indianapolis, as standards.
Why are we not creating our own and have other communities use ours?
Is this all there is? I've asked that before.
