[markbarbera]

And what new businesses would be attracted by a couple hundred university students who spend a couple of weekdays attending a course downtown?

You accuse me of being short-sighted, but let's consider Mac's downtown campus for a moment. It has been at Main and John for about a decade now. What long term benefit has it brought for that area? What new businesses were drawn to that location that has enriched the downtown (besides parking lots)? Where are these middle and upper class people you claim would be drawn by a downtown campus? Why would it happen for a campus at City Centre and not for one at Main and John?

What is short-sighted is proposals like that which diminish the tax base for the city without any material gain for the community left to foot the bill.