POLL: Continue or scrap the Crestwin Bomber stadium project?

also surprise surprise... potential for a ticket tax to pay for the stadium

I'm not paying another ticket tax. In fact, screw the stadium and the bumblers...no more fooze-ball for me.

If I really want to watch, I'll watch it on TV.

This is a total disgrace and heads need to roll...

If anything - that makes sense. Let the fans support/pay for it.

Personally, with global warming approaching, I don't see that roof holding the extra weight of wet snow...

I agree. Let every user pay for it. Bomber games. Bison games. High School football games. Concert goers. Tractor pulls. Oh and let's be sure to charge a surtax on anyone that stands to profit from an event.

Be certain to apply that same standard to every hockey rink in Winnipeg. And community clubs. Don't forget parks...

Sarcasm and crumbling infrastructure aside, football stadiums in Canada tend to be beyond the means of the average sports franchise. We sure don't need them but they add to the fabric of a city.

The real question I imagine is do we NEED this stadium NOW?

That said, imagine if a small user fee were attached to every ticket over the past fifty years. I imagine there would be a nice amount of coin available to build a new stadium. Maybe we start now and build a nice little nest egg for future repairs and maybe another new stadium in 2065...

My answer is yes, we need this stadium now.
My opinion, spending any more money at the old stadium is wasting it, you can never fix the stairs or the narrow aisles without ripping the thing down, it's almost 60 years old, it's time has passed.
I am all in favor of a tax on tickets, however I don't see how that will really make much of a dent on the cost of the thing. Say it's $5 @33,000 tickets and they sell out for 9 games plus preason, that's $165,000 per game or event that is held and sold out there. It will take a couple hundred years to pay that off going that way. Of course you can charge more which would change the numbers but I can hear the outcry already about it.
Perhaps if they charge a ticket tax it can be used for future maintenance?

That's probably why most new stadiums and arenas are paid by the taxpayer. There are no easy answers when it comes to these things...

AGEsAces wrote:Heard you on the radio yesterday Liv.
Well presented...though some suggestions as to the "unknowns" might have sold the story a bit better.

They were talking about it again this morning on CBC...and apparently they are going to approach the Bombers about it for a newsstory.

Not sure what you mean Ages on the onknowns. These kamikaze radio spots are very difficult, you have little time to ge the point point across, but it was fun. I hope they do something with more time, perhaps their Sport guy or other people to discuss /debate.

its just a concept that merits soem discussion before tehy ram something through.


BLACK ROD was right on the moeny with this in his blog 3 weeks ago or so....190 Million and plus.. Whoever this entity is, he's very good.

Can someone list what the problems are in our 1953 stadium?
We do not need a new stadium!

The Tower Enginnering report listed them and pegged costs at 15 million or so back in 2004.

The number floated by Sam and Sel at 50 million plus include so many things that have nothing to do with the safety of the stadium

If the stadium was unsafe, why are they allowing high School football teams in there for Championships ????

grumpy old man wrote:I agree. Let every user pay for it. Bomber games. Bison games. High School football games. Concert goers. Tractor pulls. Oh and let's be sure to charge a surtax on anyone that stands to profit from an event.

Be certain to apply that same standard to every hockey rink in Winnipeg. And community clubs. Don't forget parks...

Sarcasm and crumbling infrastructure aside, football stadiums in Canada tend to be beyond the means of the average sports franchise. We sure don't need them but they add to the fabric of a city.

The real question I imagine is do we NEED this stadium NOW?

Don't even think of suggesting that this stadium really is or should be a public works project. (Aspers latest mouth crap.)

But, to your question...NO, we don't need a new stadium....not for decades...a little repair will go a hellava long way.

Can anyone say, specifically, why the stadium requires upgrades or replacement, at this time?

The last few times that I've been, it didn't occur to me that the place was falling apart. I only suspect it might be due to others saying that it is.

Actually I do think it needs to be a public works project. Let's agree to disagree.

So that Mr Asper can have one of the best properties in the city for a song and a dance this deal is wrong and needs to be reopened . If he is to gain the mall then he can raise some more money to let his football team play in this new stadium . Well I agree not all of it but more of it .

Triniman wrote:Can anyone say, specifically, why the stadium requires upgrades or replacement, at this time?

The last few times that I've been, it didn't occur to me that the place was falling apart. I only suspect it might be due to others saying that it is.

There are a few things that could use some work. some plumbing, some masonry work, some pigeons shot.

I take it we won't see a the private sector form a consortium to buy the team and build a stadium, then charge whatever they wanted for tickets, maintain all food sales, etc.?

Is there any money to be made in doing this or is a private profit only possible if the whole thing is paid for, in no small way, with partial funding from the taxpayer?

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Asper's stadium deal--a Mad Hatter's delight. Plus a big bouquet to CTV News

The saga of the new Winnipeg stadium is getting more surreal by the day.
Failed businessman David Asper appeared on CTV television Monday boasting," We are building a football stadium as designed."

Who's 'we', Kemo Sabe?

Asper doesn't have the money to build a doll house.

The University of Manitoba, which is sitting on a bridge-financing loan from the province, can only afford to build three-quarters of the proposed stadium. (70 percent, actually.)

Sam Katz, the re-elected Mayor of the City of Winnipeg, campaigned for two months on a promise to bring the deal back to council if Asper reneged on covering cost overruns. Instead, his first days back at work are spent in backroom meetings to save a deal that hasn't been approved by council.

And unelected Premier Greg Selinger is preparing to spend another minimum of $45 million toward a new stadium without the consent of the Legislature.

Literally the day before Asper announced that the cost of his proposed stadium has ballooned from $115 million to $160 million (and climbing), a contract was signed for piling.


Ahem. Who signed the contract?

The University? Did they know that the cost of the project was now way, way more than the money they have to pay for it?

Creswin? Did Asper commit the province into building his stadium before telling his "partners" what the true cost is shaping up to be? Needless to say, keeping things going benefits Asper since he's making money on the construction end.

Why isn't anyone suspicious about the numbers being tossed around so freely?

Creswin gets an untendered contract, digs a hole, and Presto Chango the cost zooms into the stratosphere. Do you think we could have gotten a more accurate sense of the cost from someone else?

And where do all these numbers come from?

Apparently, from Asper's company.

Do you trust the guy who's going to milk you for millions or do you get a second estimate?

And what's the true cost of a new stadium going to be? The estimated pricetag for a new stadium contemplated for Regina is $430 million. So how is Winnipeg going to build one for less than half?

Or is this all a scam because none of the politicians wants to admit that the true cost is going to be $300 million or $400 million and change---until it's too late.

(We have the answer, of course. Tie the stadium in with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. While David Asper says construction costs in Winnipeg went up 30 percent in the past year, his sister Gail Asper says construction costs for the museum haven't budged. If they had, then the museum would cost another $30 million or so, on top of the $35-45 million shortfall they're already facing. You don't think she's hiding that fact from us, do you?)

The stadium deal appears to have been deliberately designed to be as confusing as possible.

The official government news release announcing the bridge financing deal doesn't say who is actually receiving the money. So, of course, it was assumed that the loan would go to David Asper. Or to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers who would funnel it to David Asper.

Except that the loan was actually to the University of Manitoba. In order to take ownership of the football club, Asper has to repay $75 million of the loan--- not to the government, and not to the football club, but to the university.

http://blackrod.blogspot.com/2010/11/aspers-stadium-deal-mad-hatters-delight.html

So in the end, we are getting less stadium than was promised and paying......80 Million more. Am i reading this right ?

And what makes anyone think this makes sense / on the other hand, this is the Province that thinks paying twice as much for a Powerline is the right thing to do. I am astonished by Prairie mentality.( NDP supporters, nahhhh, not just them )

Is there any money to be made in doing this or is a private profit only possible if the whole thing is paid for, in no small way, with partial funding from the taxpayer?


It can be done with no taxpayer funding. Citizen investment could easily fund a 300 Million dollar build. ( with the caveat that RevCan would have to change their stripes and try to help the process )

Is this the 1st time the different governments have tried to build something? I love the report that Creswin never did a thorough analysis of the total cost. That is pretty exciting to hear.
That 1953 stadium is in plenty good shape for 57 years old! I am 66 and not in any way as good shape!
We don't need to spend any taxpayers money. This is Winnipeg, and Winnipeger's are a happy lot with extrememly low taxes and an infrastrucure that is falling apart! We don't care that our roads need more money! Everything and everybody needs more money! Get over it! There isn't "more money" available!!

I think that maintenance report is full of B.S. wanted repairs!

Rosen you always give me a chuckle keep going man it makes the world seem not so bad after all .

Livio Ciaralli wrote:Is there any money to be made in doing this or is a private profit only possible if the whole thing is paid for, in no small way, with partial funding from the taxpayer?


It can be done with no taxpayer funding. Citizen investment could easily fund a 300 Million dollar build. ( with the caveat that RevCan would have to change their stripes and try to help the process )

I know you SAY this can be done. I know you BELIEVE it. And I hope you're right. I just don't see it happening. Even with Revenue Canada playing nice.

Ahh GOM, you know i'm just pushing this for a reaction. We both know RevCan is in the business of collecting/making money for the governemnt. Asking them to reverse themselves and find ways for people to save/use their money isn't what they are geared for.

Would be funny to see though. imagine, RevCan asked to find the best way to deliver an investment vehicle that doesn't penalize you, doesn't charge you interest, allows you to unlock your money,.

No it won't happen. why, because the top guys haven't mumbled it and most people don't get it.

In the end, its a discussion point, which by the looks of this board ( wow I thought Dean would be all over this like mustard on a hotdog Lol ), most aren't interested in discussing. \


But yes, an endzone seat for 1500 bucks and with a 10 year payment plan is something most peggers could afford rather easily.

I think the idea has merit. And if it were to succeed you'd see a completely different dynamic at Bomber games. Something akin to the Riders and Packers. That would be a blast.