Halifax Stadium Discussion

[halifaxboyns]

I have a slight issue with your comments Waye Mason. I went back through this discussion and I'd like to know where you are pulling out the idea that we're pushing for some diamond encrusted, gold and silver palace to HRM? There isn't any agreement on a stadium size, we all have different opinions but the range seems to be about the same size of SMU/Moncton (at the low end) to about 30,000 seats at the top end. So where are you getting the idea that we're advocating a $100 million + stadium? I'm sure most would agree that's over the top for a city without a major team to occupy the stadium.

So the price for this project isn't set in stone and we (the public) are being asked for our opinion. But one thing which seems to be forgotten is that Halifax isn't a small 'town' anymore. It's a mid-sized city; 400,000 and climbing (quickly I might add). The GDP numbers which Fenwick posted give me reasonable comfort that this could go forward with a minimal effect on the tax payer.

The other comfort I have in this is looking at the private investment side and being comfortable that there would be no problem getting private investment into something like this. Since the most recent design floated was around a both soccer/football field - there would be investment in team sponsorship (that's probably a given). The other opportunities are in the stadium and stadium site itself. Naming rights - the Saddledome naming rights are $10 million for ten years. A similar price for this facility doesn't seem far fetched to me, although given the scale it might be less than 10 million $.

The other revenue generator that I can see is advertising (beyond naming rights). The parking lots of stadiums are usually full of advertising (billboards) and on the sides of stadiums - the same thing. You could easily sell off advertising rights within the stadium to a group such as pattison where HRM would take as much of 40% of the revenue (or more) and make money off that. Add into this rental of the field to sports teams, I'm sure the place will generate revenue and not be the money pit you seem to make it out to be. Will it make a profit - probably not initially. But that's okay, it takes time to build interest.

So there are long term means to recover good portions of the cost of a stadium that could be as much as $50 million. Plus using your maintenance costs estimate - something reasonable at what seems to be the most common figure I've seen discussed ($50 million) would be half that of what you suggested - in the 1 to 2 million $/year range. Also, operating the facility for things like concerts can be done in a manner that the ticket cost includes things like security.

Finally - my last comment would be that I'm sick and tired and people being so pesemistic and negative toward Halifax. The city IS growing and many of us agree it will far surpass the top end growth forcast in HRM's regional plan of 425,000 LONG before 2027 (when the plan expires). So it's time to start looking beyond HRM's quaint image of the past and embrace it's future, because people are moving in and will want things to make the city feel even more important, like sports arenas and other public facilities.