[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This proposal is to bring the XL Center into the 21st century. The facility is over 40 years old and needs significant improvements if it is to ever make money or even break even. Jay

Great. Do it with PRIVATE money. It's not the public's problem that it's old and antiquated.

To put this argument in its proper perspective, let's review an op-ed from Wallace Matthews in late December '01 after the "honorable" Rudy Giuliani wrote a blank check to the owners of the Yankees and Mets for THEIR new cribs, at taxpayer expense. The same principle applies here:

http://nypost.com/2001/12/30/rudys-h...feed-the-rich/

[RunD1987]

^^^^ Can second that stop wasting tax payer money CT

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Correct. Hartford showed it cannot sustain a pro team. Leagues do not return to cities its size once they were given a chance, but failed.

You can't blame Hartford for losing the Whalers. The fans supported them well. Karmanos was just a greedy owner who wanted everything his way or the highway and Rowland didn't approve of that. He was willing to lose the Whalers in order to get the Patriots (which failed). As for returning, I'm not sure. There's a possibility. Winnipeg returned and their market is a lot smaller than Hartford's. You just have to have the right people who are willing to go through the process of bringing the team back. Winnipeg did it and Hartford is in line...waiting. You have to remember it's a lot harder to relocate a team in 2015 than back in the 1990's.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

You can't blame Hartford for losing the Whalers. The fans supported them well. Karmanos was just a greedy owner who wanted everything his way or the highway and Rowland didn't approve of that. He was willing to lose the Whalers in order to get the Patriots (which failed). As for returning, I'm not sure. There's a possibility. Winnipeg returned and their market is a lot smaller than Hartford's. You just have to have the right people who are willing to go through the process of bringing the team back. Winnipeg did it and Hartford is in line...waiting. You have to remember it's a lot harder to relocate a team in 2015 than back in the 1990's.

I'd rate it an extreme long shot at best. The old Hartford attendance will not do. To get Preds, Nashville had to have 12,000 season ticket holders signed up, and it did. I doubt Hartford could do that.

NHL payroll is not sustainable with say 7 or 8,000 initial season ticket holders, so the bar is much higher now then when Hartford got a team last time,

[MikefromCT]

Connecticut would have NEVER gotten the Pats. Not a chance. That was just a ploy by that shyster Kraft to get his new crib built in Mass. We were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

Connecticut would have NEVER gotten the Pats. Not a chance. That was just a ploy by that shyster Kraft to get his new crib built in Mass. We were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

Correct.

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

You can't blame Hartford for losing the Whalers. The fans supported them well. Karmanos was just a greedy owner who wanted everything his way or the highway and Rowland didn't approve of that. He was willing to lose the Whalers in order to get the Patriots (which failed). As for returning, I'm not sure. There's a possibility. Winnipeg returned and their market is a lot smaller than Hartford's. You just have to have the right people who are willing to go through the process of bringing the team back. Winnipeg did it and Hartford is in line...waiting. You have to remember it's a lot harder to relocate a team in 2015 than back in the 1990's.

Winnipeg doesn't have four other NHL teams close by like Hartford does.

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

Connecticut would have NEVER gotten the Pats. Not a chance. That was just a ploy by that shyster Kraft to get his new crib built in Mass. We were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

This is why I dislike the Patriots...well mostly Kraft. Nobody will ever know if he truly wanted to move into Hartford. Only Kraft and a few of his top executors know and they have been quiet on this matter ever since. There's a press conference video on YouTube that shows Kraft and Rowland answering questions about the proposal. You can definitely see the guilt and denial in Kraft's face while Rowland looks like the idiot. Not only did Rowland look stupid but the media and the state workers who were in the room took the bait and believed every word Kraft said. I'm surprised there's more Patriots fans in this state than Giants and the Jets combined especially since what Kraft did to CT was unfair and gutless.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

$250 million? All at taxpayers' expense? Wow, the fiscal recklessness of this state is astounding. Folks, there IS no sports team coming to this city. Get over it. And before you accuse me of not wanting this city to succeed, let me stop you by saying, no. I just want you to wake up and smell reality. It's not happening. And public dollars are not to subsidize THAT. If you find this acceptable then you're part of the problem.

This.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

Connecticut would have NEVER gotten the Pats. Not a chance. That was just a ploy by that shyster Kraft to get his new crib built in Mass. We were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

That is a shrewd business tactic; no different than the guy selling his house who has pictures taking showcasing its best elements, great location..to maximize his selling price. He doesn't tell you nor photograph its warts.

By getting another state into the game, Kraft insured the Pats home state would not take them for granted. If there is shame involved, it rests with Ct for not knowing it was being played.