Steady Eddie Stelmach says no dollars for new arenas

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in Alberta - Meanwhile, Quebec is at the federal trough looking for $180 million to lure a NHL team to Quebec City.

Alberta Premier won't give money for new NHL arenas

 

[SLY]

in Alberta - Meanwhile, Quebec is at the federal trough looking for $180 million to lure a NHL team to Quebec City.

Alberta Premier won't give money for new NHL arenas

Too bad, I definitely think Canada should have more teams... Teams in Florida and Arizona is just retarded. I really can't wait to make it up to Canada for some games, if not this season, definitely next season.

 

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I think this is one time I agree with Ed Stelmach (can't believe I'm saying that), I think especially during these tough economic times, taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook to fund construction of new arenas (maybe a small portion of it is okay, but the bulk of it needs to come from the private sector).

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I think this is one time I agree with Ed Stelmach (can't believe I'm saying that), I think especially during these tough economic times, taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook to fund construction of new arenas (maybe a small portion of it is okay, but the bulk of it needs to come from the private sector).

but sadly, Quebec will get their money ... federally, and Albertan taxpayers will be on the hook for a new arena ... just not their own

 

[Eddie_Shack]

I don't know exactly how things are run and money is allocated in Canada, but it kind of pisses me off when state, federal, or local governments in the US pony up cash so billionaires can have a nice new place to put their team.

Our roads are crumbling, poor school districts have buildings falling apart and textbooks that only go up to "Reagen", and you want to sink money into that shit?

Sorry for the rant, but that kind of stuff drives me nuts.

 

[SuperFlyer13]

From what I heard on the Nhl network on Sirius, the government is only going to have to pony up like 40 mil or so to get an arena in Quebec. I forget all the logistics that were involved, but the Government was said to be very interested. Sounded like it could very well happen soon.

 

[Destroydacre]

Any idea if Quebec would renovate the Pepsi Coliseum or build a new arena?

/edit: nevermind, it says build a new arena right in the article. Looks like they'd leave the Coliseum for the Remparts.

 

[devs30rko]

i don't mind having a team in tampa bay, and while they aren't that close to the panthers, you do spread it too thin. they'd have been far better of if htere was one team in florida. and i think tampa has at the least shown signs of life at times.


but the panthers, coyotes and thrashers are problems.

it would be interesting to see if the thrashers would be more of a success if they won some games and were actually offering their fans something to build off of, as its a big market but they are running out of time to prove that

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I don't know exactly how things are run and money is allocated in Canada, but it kind of pisses me off when state, federal, or local governments in the US pony up cash so billionaires can have a nice new place to put their team.

Our roads are crumbling, poor school districts have buildings falling apart and textbooks that only go up to "Reagen", and you want to sink money into that shit?

Sorry for the rant, but that kind of stuff drives me nuts.

REP!!
I agree 100%. The owners of the teams should pay for at least 50% of every stadium, ballpark or arena built. These people already have billions of dollars.

The taxpayers in New Jersey are still paying for the old Giants stadium & will continue to do so for many years to come.

 

[SuperFlyer13]

REP!!
I agree 100%. The owners of the teams should pay for at least 50% of every stadium, ballpark or arena built. These people already have billions of dollars.

The taxpayers in New Jersey are still paying for the old Giants stadium & will continue to do so for many years to come.

Yea but isn't that shit usually up for local elections? It was here.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I don't know exactly how things are run and money is allocated in Canada, but it kind of pisses me off when state, federal, or local governments in the US pony up cash so billionaires can have a nice new place to put their team.

Our roads are crumbling, poor school districts have buildings falling apart and textbooks that only go up to "Reagen", and you want to sink money into that shit?

Sorry for the rant, but that kind of stuff drives me nuts.

in Canada, governments dont usually fund sports arenas/stadiums unless they are for some sort of world competition that they think will bring economic or social benefit/spinoff (Olympics or a FIFA world cup). Its usually a non starter for a pro sports team especially when the government has healthcare to fund.

The NHL teams in canada have always been turned back when they have gone to government for some sort of help/handout (ie when the cdn dollar was in the shitter or when the Jets/Nordiques asked for subsidization before they left their cities).

Interestingly, almost every CFL team (not TO) is currently building, is in the planning stage of building, or has expanded/renovated their stadiums in the past couple of years ... and I could be wrong but almost every one of them has received public funding from government to do it. Could be because these projects are less expensive than an up to standard NHL arena or governments see the NHL as big business and the cfl as a long standing canadian social institution that needs protection ... I dont know really

 

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The New York Times has a great article on public financing of stadiums and arenas and how the deals are really hurting some municipalities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/sports/08stadium.html

Giants Stadium has been demolished, but the public is still paying the remaining $110M.

New Jerseyans are hardly alone in paying for stadiums that no longer exist. Residents of Seattle’s King County owe more than $80 million for the Kingdome, which was razed in 2000. The story has been similar in Indianapolis and Philadelphia. In Houston, Kansas City, Mo., Memphis and Pittsburgh, residents are paying for stadiums and arenas that were abandoned by the teams they were built for.

But befitting its name, Giants Stadium is the granddaddy of phantom facilities. Taxpayers in New Jersey, already under pressure from declining local government revenues, this year will pay $35.8 million in principal and interest on the $266 million in remaining bonds for the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which opened in 1976 and includes the Izod Center and a horse racing track. Those bonds will not be paid until 2025.

 

[puckhead]

don't worry, Harper has opened the wallet, so we can ALL pay.
PM Harper opens door to stadium funding - sportsnet.ca WAP

 

[Automattic]

My .02....I thought I helped pay for these kinds of things everytime I am raped buying a ticket.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

My .02....I thought I helped pay for these kinds of things everytime I am raped buying a ticket.

I was raped this morning

VANCOUVER — Vancouver Canucks tickets went on sale today at 10 a.m. and fans can expect to reach deeper into their wallets to see their favourite hockey stars at Rogers Arena.


A family of four can now expect to pay at least $290 to attend a match - that is of course if they don't mind watching the Columbus Blue Jackets on a Tuesday night, walk to the arena, and don't eat.


With the cheapest ticket now costing $65 — a $7.50 increase from last year — the club has the most expensive low-end ticket price in the National Hockey League. The next highest priced low-end ticket can be found in Edmonton for a relative bargain of $50.75.


The $65 price tag for an upper-level seat in the "nosebleeds" only applies to 22 of the 41 home games as there are 19 "premium" games which will cost a Nucklehead $85. Premium games include games with high demand like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens as well as pre-game ceremonies like Ring of Honour nights and the Markus Naslund retirement ceremony.


The most expensive ticket at Rogers Arena costs $246 for a regular game and $300 for a premium game. All of the tickets have an additional $8.50 service charge


The tickets are nonetheless in high demand as the club has sold 17,000 season tickets and has thousands in line. Rogers Arena has a seating capacity of 18,810.


While the high-end tickets remain relatively cheap compared to New York ($1,129) Toronto ($658) and Los Angeles ($455) every other team offers substantially lower priced tickets for seats in the upper levels.


Similar upper-level corner seats that cost $65 in Vancouver only cost $40 in Chicago to watch the Blackhawks - a team that over the past two years has offered a higher value on-ice product.


In Montreal similar seats go for $64, however the Canadiens as well as clubs in Philadelphia, Detroit, and Anaheim (clubs that have reached at least the conference finals in the past five years) all offer tickets for under $30.


And while the recent on-ice performance of clubs in Ottawa, Dallas, Columbus, Florida and Atlanta may not come close to that of Vancouver ,seats can still be bought for $15 or less.


Last year, according to the Team Marketing Report, the Canucks had the third-highest average ticket cost in the league behind the Maple Leafs and Canadiens.



Read more: Vancouver Canucks have most expensive 'cheap seats'

 

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The $65 price tag for an upper-level seat in the "nosebleeds" only applies to 22 of the 41 home games as there are 19 "premium" games which will cost a Nucklehead $85. Premium games include games with high demand like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens as well as pre-game ceremonies like Ring of Honour nights and the Markus Naslund retirement ceremony.

Somebody has to pay from Manny Maholtra...

 

[Nasty_Magician]

REP!!
I agree 100%. The owners of the teams should pay for at least 50% of every stadium, ballpark or arena built. These people already have billions of dollars.

The taxpayers in New Jersey are still paying for the old Giants stadium & will continue to do so for many years to come.

Speaking of arenas, am I missing something with the Lighthouse Project? Didn't Wang say he would pay most of it if not all of it out of pocket? Wouldn't this create tons of jobs during and after it's construction? Wouldn't this be great for a struggling economy? It makes too much sense. Do they not want to make money?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

it was only a matter of time ... "i was misquoted ... err ... they tricked us into wearing those Nordiques jerseys"

SEPT-ILES, Que. -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper is playing down expectations that his government will pony up the bulk of the cash needed to build an NHL-sized arena in Quebec City.

In the face of a brewing backlash, the prime minister dropped several hints that Ottawa might not provide all of the estimated $180 million missing to build an arena.

During a visit Monday to Quebec, Harper stressed the role of the private sector in funding professional sports.

He also cautioned that any federal funding for sports infrastructure would have to be spread fairly across the country.

The prime minister pointed out that Quebec City isn't the only project seeking federal funding for infrastructure projects. He said he has received similar demands from both NHL and CFL teams across the country.

"We're all fans of professional sports, we know they're important to our communities," Harper said.

"But professional sports are first and foremost the responsibility of the private sector."

Speculation of a huge federal contribution has prompted a backlash, even within Harper's Conservative ranks.

There were also angry editorials in Western Canada, where existing sports teams in the CFL and NHL are hoping to build venues.

Harper kept the door open for a federal role in funding such sports infrastructure projects -- but he stressed that any such participation would have its limits.

"If there is to be any role for the federal government, first of all that role would have to be equitable across the country (and) treat everyone the same," he said.

"And it also has to be affordable, recognizing that this country is going to be moving into a period of fiscal restraint."

Quebec's provincial and municipal governments have offered to foot more than half of the estimated $400 million bill for a Quebec City arena -- but they want Ottawa to pay the rest.

The feds initially sent supportive messages when discussing the project, and some Conservative MPs even appeared in public last week wearing Quebec Nordiques jerseys.

Now, however, Conservative MPs have been saying that the prime minister had no advance knowledge of their hockey-jersey stunt and did not help them plan it.

Harper made his comments in Sept-Iles, Que., a fishing community more than 600 kilometres northeast of Quebec City