Went to a hockey game...had to get a loan. (house, casinos)

[Geeo]

Yes, everyone's paying, even if they never set foot in the sports palaces. If the owners had wanted to be really generous, they would have financed their stadiums and arenas without government assistance.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Yes, everyone's paying, even if they never set foot in the sports palaces. If the owners had wanted to be really generous, they would have financed their stadiums and arenas without government assistance.

And then all the teams would be moved and there would be even less money/revenue coming into the city. Nobody forces anybody to live in Allegheny County or the city. Move and don't pay or deal with it. Its not going away.

[Buckeye Burgher]

What's really interesting is that one of these days a team is going to fail and leave a really big, expensive,
new building (Florida Panthers? Miami Marlins? Phoenix Coyotes?) without an occupant.

Leaving those taxpayers on the hook for huge debt service on a big empty building.

THAT is going to be an explosive situation.

[erieguy]

That's part of business. Put butts in the seats and all is well. Nutting has pulled it off for years. All about marketing...and don't forget, sports teams are not the only ones who use the venues.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Yes, everyone's paying, even if they never set foot in the sports palaces. If the owners had wanted to be really generous, they would have financed their stadiums and arenas without government assistance.

I completely agree with this; though in the penguins case should also point out that they had a plan to finance the arena with the isle of capri casino plan which was ultimately rejected.

As a further aside, I hate consol energy center as a venue.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I completely agree with this; though in the penguins case should also point out that they had a plan to finance the arena with the isle of capri casino plan which was ultimately rejected.

As a further aside, I hate consol energy center as a venue.

Yupp.

I liked Mellon Arena better than Consol. I also liked 3 Rivers better than Heinz Field. They nailed it with PNC Park.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by Copanut

That's nuts, parking was 15 bucks, and beer totaled 90 dollars, hey, I was thirsty.

Anyplace where somebody can spend $90 on beer and still leave under their own power and no place for me.

[erieguy]

And nobody forces anybody to pay for parking or buy beer.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Back in the old days, 1990-1994, I had season tickets to the Pens. 4 seats on the blue line, 1 row behind the glass. Total cost was 120 per night x 41 games, not bad. Gave them up years ago and maybe attend 2-3 games per year.

My wife was given 2 tickets from her boss for the game on Wednesday. Each ticket cost $172.00.

That's nuts, parking was 15 bucks, and beer totaled 90 dollars, hey, I was thirsty.

Hockey is expensive entertainment, there are good reasons why the last game I attended was the year before Lemieux was signed. A lot cheaper to watch the games on TV.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by erieguy

And nobody forces anybody to pay for parking or buy beer.

True. But according to some anthropologists, beer is responsible for human civilization as people settled down in fixed locations to farm grains and ferment them. Why do you hate human civilization?