Supporters of a new downtown SuperHyperHockeyPlex for Edmonton will surely try to downplay this development in the debate. They're a disingenuous lot, in some cases shameless; it won't bother them that Rexall Place's second most important anchor tenant has essentially just stood up and said "You knock down Rexall and we're off to Calgary." But please, at least spare us any more talk of how brilliant the "communications strategy" pursued by the mayor and the pro-arena interests has been. Apparently none of these bright sparks thought to communicate with the CFR before the feasibility report was released. (And any communications strategy that's relying on Scott McKeen not to blow his cool and menstruate all over the city section like he did on Wednesday is destined for failure.)
I hasten to add that various quantitative estimates of "how much the Canadian Finals Rodeo contributes to Edmonton's economy" should be ignored. But the CFR's impact is, by any reckoning, enormous. Most buyers of Edmonton Oiler tickets come from Edmonton and the surrounding area; cash spent by them is merely moving from place to place within the metropolis. The CFR and the FarmFair add real money to Edmonton—money that comes from Calgary, and Rocky Mountain House, and Kindersley, Sask., and Texas and Wyoming and Nevada. For a whole week every year, the city is full of hundred-dollar hats and two-hundred-dollar shitkickers. Losing the CFR would devastate local businesses, and have an annual macro impact that you'd have to think would be equal to at least four or five Oiler home games.
Comments (11)
World Class City. Bang. What else do you want Colby? Go to Brule if you want a rodeo. I rest my case.
Posted by Nathan Muhly | March 28, 2008 2:15 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 14:15
Mayor Mandel is the kinda guy who thinks we can compete with Europe on the art-museum front by means of a sticking a giant wad of Juicy Fruit wrapper on top of the Edmonton Art Gallery. I say we stick to the things we have a shot at being world-class at.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 28, 2008 2:39 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 14:39
I think that you make a good point about attracting external dollars into Edmonton. Any fool can circulate money internally, but that doesn't bring growth.
Posted by Half Canadian | March 28, 2008 8:00 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 20:00
You're a hack bud. Give up the schtick. You have no clue about what you're talking about.
Honestly - get a life.
Posted by 420ilerBuzz | March 28, 2008 11:10 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 23:10
"Bud" has to be a compliment coming from a guy with "420" in his username, surely.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 28, 2008 11:45 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 23:45
Any fool can circulate money internally, but that doesn't bring growth.
Yeah, and this planet is never going to get any richer if we don't start attracting investment from other star systems.
Posted by Tybalt | March 29, 2008 12:45 PM
Posted on March 29, 2008 12:45
I think that's what the proposed downtown Battledome is designed for. The ETs will send their bravest champions to Edmonton to square off against our craziest hobos.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 29, 2008 1:18 PM
Posted on March 29, 2008 13:18
The mere mention of Scott McKeen's name is enough to engage my gag reflex. The man is a walking advertisement for why you shouldn't give someone a column just because they've been a beat reporter for 20 years. How many straw men and non sequiturs can he pack into a single column?
Posted by Study Suggests Journal Causes High Blood Pressure | March 29, 2008 4:44 PM
Posted on March 29, 2008 16:44
I love that someone with the handle 42oilerbuzz told you to get a life. He/she obviously leads a life of great import.
Posted by Andy Grabia | March 29, 2008 9:08 PM
Posted on March 29, 2008 21:08
Yeah, and this planet is never going to get any richer if we don't start attracting investment from other star systems.
I see your point, but the real kicker here is the government taxation issue. If every citizen on the globe had to pay a flat tax that was used to encourage them to spend money on each other, it would be a losing proposition. That same global tax, if it was used to build a jumpgate just inside Mars orbit to encourage interstellar trade with earth, at least would make economic sense (even if some fool race of space libertarians protested its moral sense). Taxing Edmontonians to encourage Edmontonians to spend money at other Edmontonians' businesses just doesn't add up.
Posted by FACLC | March 30, 2008 9:48 AM
Posted on March 30, 2008 09:48
And, of course, the rodeo doesn't have easily available replacements. Whereas if the Oilers ever pulled up stakes and signed a lease elsewhere, as Paula Simons suggests is being threatened, I have a feeling that the owners of the Predators, Hurricanes, Thrashers and maybe others would be up here to check out the rink before the ink was dry. They would if they're smart, anyhow.
Posted by Garnet | March 30, 2008 12:55 PM
Posted on March 30, 2008 12:55