Wednesday, February 23, 2011
keep the beat
This would be funny if it wasn't so maddening. This drum beat is so tired and stale. I refuse to accept this as a reality no matter how many times Breton, Voisin, and the like say this. I do not concede that an entertainment arena is a financial OR cultural boon to the community. The financial benefits are often equaled or outweighed by the tax breaks and public financing that go into them. There are economists who study these things who conclude that. I'm sure there are other economists who conclude that they are beneficial, but I would not say there is any consensus. So I do not accept that our area needs an arena. Voisin wrote a column recently that we need to keep the team so that Sacramento won't become psychologically depressed. Obviously she has a bit of an interest in keeping them here. I want them to leave so that I can stop hearing about an arena, but if Breton has his way the drum beat will never end.
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15 comments:
the beat goes on.
i groan at pointing this out, but austin doesn't have an arena, right? and that's a pretty fun place. you know, that city and the thousands of other ones in the world that don't have sports/entertainment arenas but are fun, cool, viable, whatever.
i dig going to nba games, but i'll find something better to do.
NM
I fail to see why Price at the Oakland Coly is proof that Sac needs an arena. Like Arco, it isn't downtown. And it's only 2,000 seats bigger. Instead of the constant whine of the political establishment about a new arena, Arena officials renovated the original structure in 1996 to give them new lux boxes and all the goodies the corp types say they need. If anything, the Oak example is one that should lead the Kings and the city to get off their asses and fix Arco they way they want it. Jeez, Marcos. What a joke.
Austin doesn’t have an arena, but it’s been equally prey to tearing down perfectly fine, just old, event centers for something new and fancy. And personally they’ve pretty much ruined what was nice about the downtown area by the Capital thanks to building the fancy convention center that’s used for SXSW.
When I was a student there, the city’s PWTB were equally as intent on becoming world class by acquiring a minor league ice hockey team (anybody ever heard of the Ice Bats?) and pouring money into the never profitable although fun Austin Music Channel.
I saw some TV news coverage last night and it was pretty hilarious watching the anchors’ reactions. Because in light of reporting about what’s been going down in Madison (let alone Libya and Egypt), how can you give the defection of a losing sports team an equal amount of gravity. Maybe *not* having a losing team could make for a less depressed city.
You're right- there have been several studies done, and sports franchises/arenas don't pencil economically. They do benefit one very important constituency, however: local politicians who suddenly enjoy a much higher profile.
As crass as it is, that's a large part of the reason for the constant drumbeat.
personally, I couldn't care one way or the other if the Kings leave, but I'll do a backflip if we can get rid of the Maloofs.
-omf
backflip! backflip!
NM
can someone clarify this from Breton's article:
"If the Kings leave town they will have to pay off their loan from the city and a prepayment penalty – a total of $76.3 million – in one lump sum and by doing so would retain ownership of Arco Arena and the 85 acres around it."
So, if the Maloofs prepay now, they will retain ownership of Arco and the surrounding acreage?
NM
Professional-sport-team-hosting has got to be the WORST barometer of civic viability you could measure.
Frequency of outdoor public gatherings (like Second Saturday, Jazz Jubilee, etc.) is a better metric. Or how about density of local music venues? Or community play fields per capita?
NBA games aren't community events--Sacramentans contribute ZERO to the Kings scene (well, except lots of money for tickets & bumper stickers).
Instead, the Kings scene siphons attention and energy away from actually CREATING things together.
Why take pride in Sacramento because of some team of athletes who aren't even from here, and who can (and will) ply their trade in ANY old city who will pay them enough?
Let Anaheim have them, and make Sacramento a city that actual MAKES and DOES things!
Even you don't know? It must be really confusing, then.
So now the Bee is all over the psychological angle.
Economists and regional business leaders said the team's departure could have both an economic and psychic impact on a community already slammed by the housing downturn and state government cutbacks.
Here's another quote about how "devastating" it will be, from a guy who owns a marketing/research/consulting business
Michael Meczka, president of MMRC Inc., a Los Angeles-based economic research firm, said a Kings move would hit Sacramento harder than communities such as Seattle, whose Sonics basketball team relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
"The loss to Sacramento would be devastating. There's no doubt about it," Meczka said.
Doesn't "economic research firm" sound more legit than "marketing/focus group guy", which is what his own website clearly states he is?
And THEN, they have the chutzpah to break out the violin for Natomas and how much this will hurt their economy when the Bee has consistently been one of the main cheerleaders to get an arena built anywhere BUT Natomas.
Fuck em'
If the city spent half as much energy on downtown as they do on that god damm arena imagine how awesome K st and the surrounding area could be?
I am beyond intellegent conversation on this Fuck.them.
Good bye.
-Natalie.
Guys, you do realize that the Royal Court Dancers will leave with the Kings right? Think of the psychological damage. In fact, I was just talking to Michael Meczka, president of MMRC Inc., a Los Angeles-based economic research firm & he confirmed my fear by saying, and I quote, "The loss to Sacramento would be devastating. There's no doubt about it."
-miller
imagine what they'll turn Slamson into in Anaheim.
All my psychological damage was done when Lux and Ivy moved off 21st Street.
-omf
So we lose The Kings and Agent Ribbons, but get Pizza Rock and Michelle Rhee? I don't care about the Kings, but this still seems like a bad deal.
-Jed
What if we throw in Marcus Breton? Then it's a win-win.
-omf
Isn't everyone forgetting that the $8 skimpy hot dog is going to leave, too?
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