POLL: Continue or scrap the Crestwin Bomber stadium project?

Provincial politicians are too busy sleeping their last terms away to notice something was going on. Don't disturb them, we don't want them waking up and spending even more public money before they are booted out next election.
No scorched Earth policy please!

Gerbasi AND Vandal both publicly said they were going to vote for it.

My guess is they "remembered" that the city has recently done a pi$$ poor job of consulting and changed their tune. Typical political BS. Especially from the left.

If Selinger pushes this through, it will forever be a millstone around their necks politically imo.

Rural folk will be pissed and most Winnipeggers too . October isn't that far off and you can be sure the stadium deal will be used as an example of NDP financial logic.

So what I don't really get here is that we're now actually spending far more public money than if we would have kept Asper in the deal and covered the costs above his insane lowball number. We've essentially said 'we can't cover over-runs, but we can cover everything'. And we're paying out Creswin $4M, and I'm assuming they will be able to purchase the land at Polo Park if they decide to, which was their whole goal in the first place. Does this seem fishy to anyone? Creswin can basically get the benefits of the first deal for less money and less risk, plus gets compensated for their time.

Everyone's talkin' about a new stadium while the bridges are falling apart, the North End seems more like the Bronx (80's style), and the underground utilities have become part of soil compost. Screw the new stadium and fix the city first.
The old stadium can be refurbished, one side at a time, for alot less money, and the money saved (oops, not spent) can be used to help revive this city.

grumpy old man wrote:Nah. If people want the work, and they will, I believe they'll accept the two week delay. Least-wise anyone I know in the construction biz would.

But that is not what I said.

I said. The people who DID NOT get the bid will sue because the tender was not reopened to them with the new timeline.

umcrouc0 wrote:So what I don't really get here is that we're now actually spending far more public money than if we would have kept Asper in the deal and covered the costs above his insane lowball number. We've essentially said 'we can't cover over-runs, but we can cover everything'. And we're paying out Creswin $4M, and I'm assuming they will be able to purchase the land at Polo Park if they decide to, which was their whole goal in the first place. Does this seem fishy to anyone? Creswin can basically get the benefits of the first deal for less money and less risk, plus gets compensated for their time.

plus... some idiots are still saying he should be involved because the board needs someone like him to drive the business end.

grumpy old man wrote:Gerbasi AND Vandal both publicly said they were going to vote for it.

My guess is they "remembered" that the city has recently done a pi$$ poor job of consulting and changed their tune. Typical political BS. Especially from the left.

Vandal ( a member of EPC) is still voting for it,

JT Estoban wrote:Some time (lets say a week) for councilors to take in consultations with their constituents would be a great start...instead of 48 hours or less without many of the details being made public.

Now that this is totally a public works project, there should be ZERO secrets. Open the entire deal, publish it on the web so we can all see what's going on. The devil is in the details. I want to see what's been negotiated on my behalf.

Selinger just said the same thing but he said lets get going on it. Doublespeak ???


This is ridiculous. Include the blatant lies about what the cost is to the City, i am astonished anyone is for this thing after the lead blew his load and failed. No wonder so many people tune out and go underground.

This , lady's and gentlemen is our council.

JTF wrote:If Selinger pushes this through, it will forever be a millstone around their necks politically imo.

Rural folk will be pissed and most Winnipeggers too . October isn't that far off and you can be sure the stadium deal will be used as an example of NDP financial logic.

True, quite true.

I'd love to know what Hughie would do different. He's been a tad silent on this issue, no?

Hugh's basically said that it's taking too long to resolve the stadium issue and they should just get on with it, but is also saying he doesn't think there should be so much public funding. So basically contradictory statements. You either build it quickly without private investment, or you hold up on building it until you get private investment. I think anyone in an opposition party role would say pretty much the same thing.

Looking back at some of the articles on this, it's pretty funny how there's actually as much mention on potentially using the space for multi-family housing as there has been. There's no buyer and no development plans. So yeah, it could be bought and used for multi-family housing, or commercial space, or a parking lot, or someone might buy it and build a giant Hollywood sign for no apparent reason. Without an actual plan from someone to turn it into multi-family housing, you may as well toss out any potential use for a chunk of land and say it could 'potentially' be used for any of them.

You you've become a pegger if you agree to the following points and somehow buy the trash thats fed to you. like

Its about amateur sport

It'll only cost the City 12 Million

190 Million is a solid number

If we don't agree today it'll go up tommorrow

We need a new stadium RIGHT NOW.

It'll cost 100 Million to fix the old one ( nevermind what engineers say.)

"New city and provincial property taxes from future developments at the Polo Park site would generate $75 million to repay the provincial loan, while the Winnipeg Football Club would be required to pay back $85 million over 45 years."


What future developments ? Would a bank approve this type of loan. NO, but maybe a Credit union.

But really, this is the scariest part of it all. Not only will the City lose 35 million plus in tax revenues, they will also stand a good chance of having to finance the other half of the obligation when the Bombers come begging because they can't pay the loan.


There are a lot of questions that need to be answered," said Gerbasi, who also complained the city's point man on the stadium deal -- deputy chief administrator Phil Sheegl -- was in Phoenix on Tuesday and unavailable to answer questions about the deal.

SHEEGL...the point man....Winnipeg, we are in trouble. This is ridiculous



LOL Winnipeg

Seems housing may be a non-starter. Airport clearances don'tcha know...

It is my opinion Hugh has already lost the coming election.

grumpy old man wrote:Seems housing may be a non-starter. Airport clearances don'tcha know...

meh... bylaw change and done.

and now even Eadie has said he will support it.

How much booze did they supply at lunch that all these peeps have changed their minds?

grumpy old man wrote:Seems housing may be a non-starter. Airport clearances don'tcha know...

Don't worry about that.
From the Freep:
"Sheegl could not be reached for comment. Barry Thorgrimson, the city's economic development and real-estate manager, said the airport-vicinity zoning rules do not preclude the possibility of residential development rising at the existing stadium site, as the city merely needs to enter into discussions with the Winnipeg Airports Authority."
See, you don't need to come up with a solution, all you need to do is 'enter into discussions' and everything's fine.

Livio Ciaralli wrote:It is my opinion Hugh has already lost the coming election.

Why would you say that? Off topic, I guess.

just responding to Uncrouc statement. he's waffled. he doesn't have the killer instinct Doer had and to upset the NDP lead, you definitely need something. This is another issue he's let slide. He's had ample time to respond and offer a solution. He can find a way to stop it. For me , October is irrelevant. the NDp will continue for another 4 years.

I agree for the most part.

The one slight chance is that the current premier is just as limp...so conservatives MIGHT,, pull it off. Maybe... most likely not though

Liv the PC Party will win in October 2011. You can take that to the bank.

Current premier is doling out lots of money. Construction companies are lapping it up. He's got a lock on the supposed "conservatives in the province. They know when there is money on the table , and Selinger, well, he's printing it.

So unless you can embarrass the sitting government ( with a 10 seat plus majority )or find a scandal, not much to counter with if you want to sit on the sidelines and see which way the wind blows. You either go for it , or sit in opposition.

Which bank would that be...the one where you declared , Me, Dean and May would be councillors ?

I think i'l play contrarian to you. ( I still like and respect you )

and.. the vote is done.

the stadium is happening.

Liv....even Nippers see that Selinger is spending money that he doesn't have.

McFayden gives off a disciplined and thoughtful approach this time....as long as he doesn't say anything about the Jets, he has a good chance to be elected Premier.