I got places to be, so let’s get right to it:
- Someone asked Baltimore Orioles owner John Angelos at a Martin Luther King Jr. event where he was announcing a $5 million donation to a local college fund about his family’s future plans for the team, and he responded by angrily saying that that was “not an appropriate subject matter for this day” and anyway “My family owns over 70 percent of the team … Number 2, we’re not going anywhere, Number 3, the principal owners are Georgia and Peter Angelos, and Number 4, you see what we’re doing here in the community.” So, it’s appropriate to ask questions about the $5 million you’re giving away while seeking $600 million-plus in stadium renovation money if it makes the team ownership look good in your staged MLK Day press event, but not if it’s about when you’ll actually sign your lease, got it.
- Nine Chicago mayoral candidates were asked at last night’s debate if they would fight to keep the Bears in the city, which is kind of a loaded question (fight how? with money cannons, or with pugil sticks?), and answers included: asking for state funds to get the team to stay, opposing using state funds to get the team to stay, being willing to negotiate, being willing to build a dome over Soldier Field, being willing to explore other sites in the city, getting another NFL team to replace the Bears if they move to Arlington Heights, giving up on doing anything as too late, and “I came from a family of 10, and I certainly know how to negotiate when you’re in the house with one bathroom.”
- Apparently that $170 million arena subsidy for the Indy Fuel got approved when I wasn’t looking, because the city of Fishers (no, not that one) just held a groundbreaking for it. (Though I suppose it’s possible they held a groundbreaking without finalizing the funding yet. Somebody out there research this if you want — what part of places to be didn’t you understand?) Anyway, here’s a rendering of the new place that seems to have been created by someone who only had access to the CW Additional Cast clip art pack.
- The Denver Broncos owners are about to start surveying fans on what they’d like in a “reimagined” stadium, including things like “how you feel about escalators versus elevators.” How fans feel about not spending a crapton of money to replace or renovate a stadium that opened in 2001 will presumably not be included in the survey.
- “Do The San Jose Sharks Need A New Stadium Built?” asks FanSided’s San Jose Sharks blog, which apparently isn’t a big enough hockey fan to know that NHL venues are typically called “arenas,” not “stadiums.” Anyway, their answer appears to be “the door that the zambonis use got stuck during a game, so sure, maybe.” Is there a way to appeal to get a site delisted from Google News for not actually having anything to do with news, do you know?
What Neil, no link to the San Jose Sharks blog?
I’ll help you, since you got places to be.
https://puckprose.com/2023/01/17/do-the-san-jose-sharks-need-a-new-stadium-built/
My favorite part of that article? “Outdated arenas are also a frequent excuse for bad attendance numbers. When the Sharks are good, they have no problem selling tickets.”
Thanks for the assist – was kept up much of the night by people in chef’s hats beating on drums.
Chefs hats beating drums what!!?? OK you win the internet today. Future FOS material I hope!
Did it look like this, Neil?
https://www.euskoguide.com/images/tamborrada-cooks-cocineros.jpg
Ding ding ding ding!
I can’t even imagine what being a minority owner to John Angelos is like. I wonder who those people are…..
Interesting Indy Fuel clip art. That couple on the far right-is he verbally assaulting her or does he have really bad breath?
Did his online bet go bad? I hope woman hailing cab is ok. Why am I worrying about this?
Hehehe. I was amused by the woman on the right carrying a backpack. Because most arenas will not allow such a thing.
In fact, on the gameday experience page for the fuel it reads: “ The Indy Fuel now follow the same bag policy as all Indiana State Fairgrounds events. All bags are subject to search upon entering the arena. All bags larger than 14” x 14” x 6” (backpacks, suitcases, duffel bags, etc.) are prohibited.”
Which makes the rendering even more impossible.
Maybe she’s modelling the new security uniforms as she carries away a confiscated bag. If so, I approve (unless the overweight male security guards are also going to wear this same style of uniform).
This came late yesterday in Newsday, Bettman is tying an Islanders hosting an All-Star Game or Draft to further development, and a hotel.
A new arena is not enough for what amounts to a weekend of “new economic activity”? BTW the majority owner of the Islanders is building a mall across the street from the arena, so I’m guessing the problem is the (lack of a ) hotel?
Here is the link to the Newsday article: https://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islanders-buffalo-pnll0i2d
Bettman said the same thing about Glendale, promising an All-Star game, which will not happen, as the Coyotes have vacated the arena.
Now, he stated the same thing for Meruelo’s ‘entertainment district’ project, and another ‘guarantee’ that the Coyotes will stay in Tempe for 30 years, if the Tempe voters say yes to a boondoggle of a development.
The arena is never the money maker, only from the surrounding business and retail tax abatements these cities hand out.
An All-Star game is mostly about all the stuff that happens around the game and not the game itself, so they do need at least one hotel and, probably, a convention center space nearby.
But if those things don’t make economic sense otherwise, getting one all-star game isn’t going to change that equation.
This really fits, a NHL arena, 2,000 apartments, 300,000 Square feet of office space, an events plaza, at least a dozen restaurants, shops, a Bouquet hotel, a convention hotel and over 100,000 Square feet of convention space and a 3,500 seat theater. Oh, I forgot all that will require somewhere around 12,000 parking spaces and all this will easily fit on 46 acres. And the 7 so called Tempe Council members can’t figure out they’re being duped?
They’ve decided to let the voters be duped.
You can have a ground breaking without adequate funding. The 15 year old giant round hole at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive is proof of that. RIP Chicago Spire, 2000 feet of steel and glass too beautiful (and economically unfeasible) for this world.
OOOO, good one. I had forgotten about that. Maybe my subconscious deliberately blocked it out, who knows.
Still, if there’s one thing that the pro sports franchise cartels have demonstrated repeatedly, it’s that economic non-viability is no reason not to have someone else build something for you.
The first question should be for voters in the 6 County area, do you want to pay an extra $1,000 in sales tax over the next 20 years to pay for a roof on a stadium that you will never go to? The next question should be, why are you living in Denver and a Broncos season ticket holders if you are afraid of snow? Mile High Stadium has been at I-25 and Colfax for like forever. Move it to Rocky Flats where the winds will be really crazy or see how many Broncos fans remain when Mile High Stadium becomes Mount Sunflower Stadium near the Kansas border.