http://www.edmontonsun.com/2013/01/23/t ... lers-arena

The pc's have gutted our bank accounts. They can't balance the budget! They are doing a massive 'slash & burn' to programs and promises which don't affect any of them since they are personally raking in big fucking $$$. They fuckin well better not put a single fuckin dime into this deal!

   

I doubt the province will be putting any money directly into the project - they've said lots of times they won't.

However, I could see something like a lotto ticket or something, that would be different, because it would ultimately come from Albertans.

At least this time around, they've acknowledged reality and put a realistic price tag on it (600+ million), not that dream they had last time ($400 million).

   

They'll probably co-opt the Wildrose arena lottery idea to great fanfare in a pathetic attempt to get folks to forget about the last eight months of non-stop gaffes and mini-scandals. Gonna be hard to disguise an $8 billion deficit though if the worst of the numbers turns out to be true.

Lots of money generated from the engineering and construction though. It ought to break even over the long term.

   

I'll stand by one of my earliest observations on this.

By the time the first game is played in the new arena- cost is going to be 750 mil +!

As to a specific lottery for wants vs needs, I go along with that completely. At least that way the $$$ are voluntary.

   

I used to be undecided on the whole issue until I did some digging and found out we used public money for Northlands Coliseum/Rexall Place back in the 70s. Seems like that worked out pretty well for us - if this arena works as well as that one, I'd be content.

If it helps revitalize our moribund downtown (as city council expects), then it's a win-win.