Downtown Arena Meeting

Edmontonians have their say about the downtown arena project at city hall.

3rd & 7 37yd

Taxes are going to go up one way or another, there's no getting around that. Taxes will go up either way.

by Linda 10/25/2011 4:50:53 PM
And the city runs out of snow removal money every year.

by Nick C 10/25/2011 4:50:59 PM
The ticket tax is not money coming from Mr. Katz although a lot of people are saying it is. It is nothing more than a "user fee" similar to the cost of entry and will help repay the initial cost - which obviously will now be the city of Edmonton than anyone else. Similarly, the added charge for entry to the existing arena is nothing more than a user fee for that building. I would agree that a new arena in this downtown area will be a benefit to the area, but if we are footing the bill for the majority of funding, why not own the building outright, charging those that use it a rental fee and reap any profits it may offer rather than allow all that profit going to an organization that puts in so little to begin with.

by Rustyrail 10/25/2011 4:51:01 PM
www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/newarena Go sign the petition. Not just for the oilers but cultures,community and Edmonton in general support your city #yeg

by Lady_Lindsay31 10/25/2011 4:52:10 PM
Hey Lady_Lindsay, how much are you going to invest in downton if there's an arena? and if you do invest, how much of that money you make is going to benefit the City?

by No Arena 10/25/2011 4:52:14 PM
That's because this city doens't know how to PLAN for the snow, it has nothing to do with money being in other projects. As Nick said, the budget is split, they're not going to take snow removal money for the arena

by Linda 10/25/2011 4:52:49 PM
"Having an NHL team is great for a city, just ask the folks in Winnipeg." says business owner John Chomiak.

by Karyn Mulcahy 10/25/2011 4:53:03 PM
No money to shovel snow, but heres 100 million for ANOTHER arena! uuummmm... okay... something wrong here?

by No Arena 10/25/2011 4:53:54 PM
'Bout time someone brought up Winnipeg, look what happened to them when they lost the team. And many of those opposed are going to be the first to complain IF we loose the Oilers.

by Linda 10/25/2011 4:54:40 PM
@No Arena... Different budgets...

by Nick C 10/25/2011 4:54:40 PM
14th speaker of the day, Sean McCartan is the first private citizen to speak in support of the downtown arena.

by Karyn Mulcahy 10/25/2011 4:55:38 PM
If we lose the Oilers I'll be very upset.

by Lady_Lindsay31 10/25/2011 4:55:41 PM
Well I guess then we should put ALL the money into shovelling snow. That means no money for roads, or non profit organizations. No money to fix water mains when they break, etc.

by Linda 10/25/2011 4:56:35 PM
@Lady_Lindsay, so will big businesses who advertise through the Oilers.

by Nick C 10/25/2011 4:56:46 PM
Then start diverting budgets. Not rocket science. Look at how Alberta Health Services is reorganizing. Funny how cheange is sought by those who think is static terms

by No Arena 10/25/2011 4:56:49 PM
i dont think the NHL will let katz take the oilers away from edmonton. from my understanding (correct me if im wrong) they make A LOT of money, despite thier losses. taking the oilers away from edmonton would be a very stupid business move.

by Corrine 10/25/2011 4:57:07 PM
They could. Doesn't Ford Edmonton already do
?

by Lady_Lindsay31 10/25/2011 4:58:18 PM
Culture needs to be a part of the budget. It can be just as important as snow removal.

by Nick C 10/25/2011 4:58:26 PM
Not necessarily, Pittsburgh had the oldest arena in the league a little bit ago, and the NHL threaten then to build a new arena or they would loose their team. Pittsburgh now has a new arena....so guess which arena is the oldest now...

by Linda 10/25/2011 4:58:29 PM
Drove by site on Satuday - two drunks passed out on sidewalk one block apart; both being attened to by EMS. What a world class view!

by Dick 10/25/2011 4:58:32 PM
exactly Corrine, Katz Group just wants to make even more money, and by using tax dollars to boot. Promising unsubstantiated un unproven benefits, reaping proven money

by No Arena 10/25/2011 4:58:47 PM
crap i hate typing on this phone

by No Arena 10/25/2011 4:59:45 PM
If we don't attend concerts, hockey games etc how is this going to benefit us? there are lots of people in this city that don't utilize Rexall. Why should we pay for another building that we get nothing out of or can't afford? Katz can have his arena just not at public expense.

by Tracy 10/25/2011 4:59:54 PM
How did an art gallery benefit me? I don't use it, but they still used tax money, which I payed, to build it.

by Linda 10/25/2011 5:02:11 PM
I wouldn't even want to have an Arena if Katz paid for all of it because of traffic gridlock that would happen at every event. But if it was privately funded I wouldn't argue cuz I'd have no say, I'd just sit there in traffic and be grumpy!

by No Arena 10/25/2011 5:02:22 PM
Tracy,

by BRADY 10/25/2011 5:02:24 PM
www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/Oct_25_2011_Arena_Framework_Council_presentation.pdf

by Lady_Lindsay31 10/25/2011 5:02:26 PM
Vinesh Pratap taking notes at this morning's meeting.

by karyn.mulcahy via email 10/25/2011 5:02:27 PM
It brings money into the city in the form of businesses who then contribute tax dollars.

by Nick C 10/25/2011 5:02:28 PM
@Tracy. Do you go to the Art Gallery? Windspear? Libraries? Events at the Current Rexal? City funding goes into a lot of things that some people don't use.

by Nick C 10/25/2011 5:02:30 PM
Tracy, Why do I have to pay for the new art gallery? I do not use it.....Poor Argument

by BRADY 10/25/2011 5:02:49 PM
every single NHL arena built in Canada in the past two decades has been built with virtually 100% private funds (Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal);

considerable peer-reviewed academic research has shown that new arenas and stadiums do not create any economic benefits for a city, but merely shift economic activity

by Glen Joseph 10/25/2011 5:04:59 PM
i say yeah build it but let katz build it he's got billions i don't

by Glen Joseph 10/25/2011 5:07:06 PM
I don't have children but have to pay school taxes, I have never had to use a hospital but I still pay taxes to help pay for those that do, I have never been unemplyed but still paid EI premiums .... the list goes on for what we do not use, but we all help pay for everything in order to make us a human and civil society and in the mix will be those things we do use that are paid in part by others through taxes.

by Barb 10/25/2011 5:07:09 PM
thanks Glen, finally a poster with some reaserch to back them up, instead of Katz bandwagoners dreaming of benefits that may or may not be realized, but at a heavy cost no matter what.

by No Arena 10/25/2011 5:07:11 PM
Shift economic ativity is right, shifted into the pockets of the wealthiest 5% in the city. Not cool with me, I'm a 95%-er!

by No Arena 10/25/2011 5:08:05 PM
www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/Oct_25_2011_Arena_Framework_Council_presentation.pdf

by Lindsay Wiebe 10/25/2011 5:08:11 PM
Century Group owner Chris Lachance speaks in favour of the downtown arena.

by Karyn Mulcahy 10/25/2011 5:08:41 PM
this is how much I would support getting the arena... I would be willing to take on a seat mortgage if I could afford it... Never heard of a seat mortgage... it means that you buy a seat and it is for your own personal use at all concerts, games, events, ect.. I am a home owner and so if I am willing to have a seat mortgage I think I'd be willing to pay a little extra tax to keep the Oilers here...

by cathleen 10/25/2011 5:08:44 PM
Lachance speaking about his business taking a risk by opening Lux Steakhouse downtown at a time when the area was not a destination. "Progress because of an investment."

by Karyn Mulcahy 10/25/2011 5:10:11 PM
"Century Group owner Chris Lachance speaks in favour", obviously Chris in in the 5%...

by No Arena 10/25/2011 5:10:12 PM
www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/newarena

by Lindsay Wiebe 10/25/2011 5:10:32 PM
"Don't build it, and they can't come." Lachance says.

by Karyn Mulcahy 10/25/2011 5:11:19 PM
"Progress because of an investment." Progress for who? your pockets Chris.

by No Arena 10/25/2011 5:11:21 PM
Progress for the investor...

by Nick C 10/25/2011 5:11:50 PM

National

Locals

Watch

Air Canada cancels Tel Aviv flight as fighting continues in Gaza

Air Canada cancels Tel Aviv flight as fighting continues in Gaza

WATCH: Toronto police officer caught jumping and waving at Jazz Fest

Schedule

Now

10:00pm

Programs

Personalities

Downtown Arena Meeting

Edmontonians have their say about the downtown arena project at city hall.