Charge more: problem solved!

When it became known that the newest, revised, Blue Bomber stadium deal would plunge the Blue and Gold $85 million in debt, the obvious question was: how is a team that lost money four of the last five years* going to pay off $85 million??

The answer: playing well. Well, okay, that's just my solution. The official answer:

1. Facility fee of $6 a ticket.

2. Entertainment tax of 10 per cent on each ticket sold.

3. Increased ticket sales, corporate suites and parking revenue.

4. Naming rights.

Would I pay $6 more for a ticket? Ya, probably. Just having enough leg room is worth $6 to me. What's that? Oh right .. the entertainment tax ... Jeeze .. This is starting to feel like buying an airline ticket. Facility fee, entertainment tax, and whatever fees Ticketmaster screws you with when you buy through them. How much is a ticket? $40. Okay I'll take two. Kay, $120 please.

Alright: so new tax and new fee ..would I pay $10 more per ticket? Probably. I have good job and only go to a couple games a year anyhow. Would a single income family of 4 pay $10 more per ticket? That I can't answer. It might be a tough call.

I don't doubt that the first couple of years will see a boost in ticket sales, but after the novelty of the new stadium wears off the decision to buy tickets will once again come down to dollars and cents. The more dollars, the fewer tickets will be sold.

Which is why item #3: increased ticket sales, is a problem. You know how you increase ticket sales? Decrease the price. Selling more tickets while increasing the price is a dubious business plan. It might work out if this were a three year proposition, but this is a 44 year commitment here. There are going to be stretches in those 44 years when the Bombers fail to make the playoffs and struggle to get asses in the seats, and during those years the Bombers will get crushed under the weight of the $4.5 million annual mortgage payments. And what happens in that case? The province will have to bail them out. Or they go bankrupt, in which case the Bank of You and Me ends up holding the bag anyhow.

Not to mention that 44 years from now, if not earlier, this ball park won't be so "world class" anymore and will have increasing maintenance and repair costs. We may even be replacing this sucker before it's paid off.

So ultimately this isn't Bomber debt -- it's provincial debt. It is community debt. It is taxpayer debt. All of this stuff about paying off the stadium though increased revenues and TIFs and whatever is all just slight of hand. There is no private money going into this project because the powers that be committed to a specific partner with a specific project that turned out to be a dud, so however you slice it, this is a publicly-funded project.

And whatever .. so be it. I do think we need a new stadium: The seats in the current one make me feel like Andre the Giant, and investing more money into that dump would be a travesty. It's not unreasonable for a government to fund an entertainment facility like this every so often. (what is unreasonable is for a government to back a failing team to the tune of $200m over 6 years, but that's another story..) It would be nice if they were honest about it, though. (I know ... dreamland ... right ...)

Just out of curiosity ... point number 4: Naming rights. How is this new revenue? Is Canad Inns not paying for the naming rights to the current stadium? Or are they also selling naming rights for the goal posts, mascots and the touchdown canon? Oh look! Half Pints Buzz is driving the CentrePort airplane around the WRHA canon!

Anyhow... Go Bombers!

*For reference: Bomber revenues:

Bomber costs:

source

Bombers, freeways, football and parks

I don't know how I managed to post 9 times in June, but I suspect I'll fall well short of that mark this month. That's okay though, because I will make up for it by posting about five different topics in one shot here (most of it being commentary about crap in the Saturday Free Press, but gimme a break man ... it's summer. I've been concentrating on important things like drinking, and baseball, and drinking while playing baseball.)

***

Now I haven't been to a Bomber game yet, but when I do go I must make a point of watching the new "flag men", just so that I can try to reconcile this:

The Blue Squadron has captured the attention -- and imagination -- of fans and media, who've marvelled at the new game-day feature.

with this:

And please, please, PLEASE get rid of the flag men. This is the most embarrassing “innovation” I’ve ever seen at a sports game. There is NOTHING good about it. It sucks. I’d rather have Mike Kelly return as coach than see these nimrods shuffling around the field. Am I being clear?

(I'll give Frogger the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn't know they were soldiers and fire fighters when referring to them as "nimrods")

***

The kick coverage woes of the Bombers make me think of Jamie Stoddard. Yes ... Stoddard. Really. He was more than a reliable but seldom used receiver -- he was a role player who was often on the coverage team. In fact he was an excellent coverage guy. Bring back Stoddard!

***

I say this every week, but I really shouldn't read Colleen Simard columns...

In fact, three different tribes have claims to the Stanley Park land.

So this public outrage is about more than just a name change, it's about a shift in power. Nobody wants to give up claim of a treasured landmark to indigenous people.

Or .... maybe the opposition has something to do with the fact that Stanley Park is an internationally known attraction, and renaming it could cause confusion, and necessitate an expensive rebranding effort? Also, if three different tribes lay claim to the area, how wise it is to name it after a specific village for a specific tribe? What about the other tribes? Oh don't tell me: they all lived together in the same village and "celebrated".

***

Ok ... let's forget about that and keep flipping through the paper ... Oh look: the new Peguis Trail extension is getting an underpass!

The eastern extension of Chief Peguis Trail will include an underpass below Rothesay Street as part of a $110-million deal to build a freeway across North Kildonan

Freeway? Does a street with one underpass constitute a freeway now? I guess in Winnipeg it might...

Let me ask you something: if we can build an underpass here, why can't we build a grade separation on a street that will see far, FAR more traffic; at an intersection that's already rated an "F" and will be twice as bad in a few short years? I'll even help you out on how to do it.

Oh ya .. I love this part too:

"It would have been nice if all our streets were built with minimal stopping and starting," he (Mayor Sam Katz) said, citing the environmental benefits of reducing idling times

Holy fuck Sam ... is that what you've been doing all these years? Minimizing stopping and starting?!? I can count one underpass (Waverly) and one functional round-about (Lakewood) in all your years in office. Now how many stop lights and four way stops have we added?

***

Lastly: congratulations to Spain!

A while back, after the Winter Olympics, I mused about how a successful performance and the national pride it generates can help to crush separatist spirits and unite a country. Well, perhaps it will work for Spain as well.

That is certainly the view of Vicente del Bosque, Spain’s football coach. “There are players from all over Spain here in the squad. We are united and I hope the same feeling of unity occurs back in Spain,”

related: Endless Spin

New Bomber Stadium, Parking, part II

Following up on my last post, I had a quick look at the U of M stadium location in comparison to the Edmonton stadium location. The parking ban around the Edmonton location covers residential areas from 0.8 km to 1.4 km at it's farthest reaches. So, just for kicks, I drafted a proposed residential parking ban area for Fort Richmond:

Red areas represent residential areas that might be covered by the hypothetical ban. It covers all housing (at least that I could tell from memory and Google Maps) within 2.4 km of the new stadium -- a far larger area than the Edmonton no-park zone, yet there is far less housing. Sure, some people have no problem walking further than that, but a 2.4 km zone ought to be good enough.

I think the map above demonstrates how little residential there is to worry about at this location. By comparison, Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton is almost completely surrounded by residential areas:

Without building on the fringes of the city, you would be had pressed to find a location where fewer people are impacted.

There is also the distinct possibility that some people in the area are Bomber fans, and are happy that the stadium is moving into their neighbourhood.

New Bomber Stadium, Parking, and Hooligans

When I go to a Bomber Game, I usually park in a residential area. I never get enormously sloshed mind you, and I don't urinate in people's yards. I am generally respectful, but I realize that not everybody is.

I therefore understand the concerns of the group that appealed the construction of the new stadium today.* However, I am also glad that it failed. Delaying the construction could mean sinking more money into the current dump of a stadium, and probably an extra season of me cramming into a seat with 10" of leg room. It's painful, and I don't want to do it anymore. We need to build a new stadium and we need to build it now.

The good news is that we can build a new stadium and address the parking concerns of the surrounding neighbourhood. One option that we may want to look at is the system that they have in Edmonton. They have a parking buffer zone surrounding their stadium, with a ban on non-local vehicles. LINK

Parking is restricted on all signed streets from the start of the game and for the next two hours. Any vehicle not displaying a valid residential parking permit will be tagged and towed at the owner's expense.

I know people who live in that zone, and it seems to work well for them.

The buffer zone would force more people to park in lots surrounding the stadium, potentially generating more revenue for the organization (or the UofM). It may also increase use of rapid transit (are we still doing that, Sam?) or ordinary transit.

Anyhow, I'm sure we could do something like that, or put our heads together and come up with a creative new solution that will keep pissed off drunken Bomber hooligans from crapping all over your yard after an embarrassing loss to the Rough Riders. Oh wait ... Mike Kelly is gone now! I mean: joyful and festive bomber fans, after a dominating WIN over the Riders!


* or the zoning variance, or whatever it technically was.

Code of conduct, and your Friday video

Well, this is certainly interesting:

Kelly was fired at about 8 p.m. Thursday, just hours after being arrested and charged with assault following a domestic dispute in the morning at his home near Philadelphia.
...
If the team can show cause, they will not be on the hook for the final two years of Kelly’s contract.

Well isn't that fortunate timing? We were going to fire him anyhow, then bingo: he just let us off the hook for the rest of the contract!

I'm not so sure. How can you reasonably argue that he was fired because of his getting arrested? especially after saying this:

It’s a tough decision but I’ve been saying repeatedly to you for the last six weeks we were reviewing the performance of the head coach and we came to the conclusion tonight that based on that assessment it was time to move on and find a new head coach. We recognize that an incident did take place but in the eyes of the law these are allegations and allegations only.

Oh well ... time to move on. And let's never again give both the head coach and GM job to somebody who has never done either.

***

After putting you to sleep the past two weeks with Black Box Recorder and The Sugar Cubes, I am going to slap you out of your coma with Probot -- Dave Grohl's heavy metal side project. Turn up the volume on your netbook and call your boss over for this one:

Bombers and growth spurts and hydro lines

32-22

Does Mike Kelly actually know what he's doing? I didn't go to the Bomber preseason game today, but caught some of it on 'OB and things went pretty well. Stefan LeFors impressed the announcers, some other new guys played well, general execution was good and play calling was not as predictable as it usually is in Bomberville. All good stuff, but remember that the Goldeyes were winless in the preseason but are tearing up the regular season. Let's not get too excited about this win.

Bryan Randall also played well, going 4 for 7 , and was called a "bright young fellow" by one of the announcers. This caught my ear because the rumour on the street is that Randall is dumber than a bag of potato chips with a concussion. However he gave an articulate post game interview and played smart football, so I'm willing to disregard those rumours (as I continue to spread them on my blog).


Can I pick none of the above?

Hydro consulting Manitobans on routes for new power line

This is kind of like deciding which eye to poke out. One eye may be better than the other, but the best option by far is to poke out neither. Still, neither Gary Doer nor Manitoba Hydro has provided a compelling reason for not putting the route down the far cheaper and more environmentally friendly East side. All reasons provided so far are farcical. They're afraid the Americans won't by our green power? Riiiiiiiiiiiight ....

Patrick McGarry, Hydro's senior environmental assessment officer, says "Our approach to route selection is avoid, avoid, avoid". Well if that's the case, then I really suggest you get your nose to the grindstone and take a serious look at how to put that hydro line through the bottom of Lake Winnipeg.


Surge in population includes a smiley blogger

I see that our blog-buddy Laurel has a cameo in the new Bartley Kives column "City in a growth spurt". Are population forecasts any more accurate than long-term weather forecasts? I don't know, but it's good to see growth. Now where to put all these new migrants ... Getting rid of the rent controls might spur some apartment development for starters. I would rather see more density through condo/apartment infill developing than urban sprawl. I can say that because I have my own little slice of wormy suburbian utopia locked up already.

By the way, if you want to know what I look like I'll meet you at the Lo pub for a beer. Otherwise forget it.

News Roundup: Cabs, QBs, and megawatts

Duffy's, Unicity apply for new cab licences

The Manitoba Taxicab Board is nearing the end of extensive hearings that began nearly a year ago on applications for 800 more taxi licences. Today the board heard an application from Duffy’s and Unicity for any and all new licences the board may issue.

How much is this board costing us? Turn these hearings over to me and I'll save everybody money:

Duffy's/Unicity exec: "We would like to apply for 800 additional licenses for ..."
Me: "Go fuck yourself"

There. Done.

There's no reason for this board to even exist. With some basic standards and regulations in place the industry should be opened up to whoever wishes to participate, and customer demand will determine how many cabs are on the street. But, if we are going to regulate licenses, there's no way in hell any more should go to Duffy's or Unicity so that they can further entrench their duopoly. This is not a healthy way to run an industry.

Bombers trade for Esks' QB

I like that we're looking at moving Glenn and reworking the QB position, but why are we trading for another 3rd stringer? We have three of them already. We need a proven performer.

Of our current crop I like the look of Bryan Randall the most, but none of these guys have much experience.

Hydro eyeing historic buildings for new substation

I'm with rgalston on this one. Does this make any sense? Of all the parking lots and underutilized spaces in downtown Winnipeg, Hydro wants to put a substation here? That will certainly limit the revitalization potential of the area.

Berry, Bauer and the Bombers

Big moves in Bomber Land:

Reliable sources confirmed Mike Kelly will be offered the job as head coach in Winnipeg.

Make that head coach and GM of the Blue Bombers.

Bombers president/CEO Lyle Bauer not only confirmed yesterday that Berry has been relieved of his duties but suggested that GM Brendan Taman has been demoted.

That would pave the way for Mike Kelly ... be offered the dual position.

Mike Kelly is currently employed as the receivers coach for the Eskies. He's allegedly being promoted, not just to head coach, but to head coach and GM. Are we sure that's a good idea? Think back to this guy:
Yes that's right. Reinebold. Currently a receivers coach for a US college team. He was a pretty good defensive coordinator, but give him the reins as head coach and GM ... It's a lot of responsibility, is what I'm saying.

I'm not opposed to demoting Taman from the GM role, but the guy doesn't even know he's been demoted yet. I almost feel sorry for the dude. Not only that, but the Eskies are still in the playoffs. Remember last weekend? Yeah.. Bauer is being a little ham-handed and perhaps knee-jerkish with this little power trip.

As I mentioned before, I don't think the firing of Berry was the right thing to do either. He got his power running back mid-way through the season and we started winning games (mostly against Hamilton and Toronto, but anyhoo..). It doesn't add up. We clearly have Quarterback issues and Offensive Coordinator problems. Are we going to replace them? Will we go into 2009 with a new GM, head coach, offensive coordinator and starting QB? We need some continuity, Lyle.

Thanks for the memories

Well that was an anti-climatic end to Milt Stegall's career. Thanks for the memories, Turtle Man, even if they don't include a Grey Cup.

********

Kevin Glenn has to go. He's ok, but that's not good enough. Sure, maybe the Bombers would have won last year if Glenn hadn't broken his arm, but with our talent we could have won with just about any QB with experience. The fact is Glenn is not good enough. He has his good games, but he has too many bad ones. It's time to move on to the post-Glenn era, and find a starting QB who is more mobile and has a better arm. Could it be Randall? Maybe. Let's give him a try.

Beyond Asperdome: Urban Goliath

I suspect that those who were upset that a real estate agent and urban sprawl advocate became head of Winnipeg's Property Planning and Development department will also not be impressed that a Federal bean counter is now telling us where to build a new stadium.

Well, that's not exactly what's happening, but pretty close. The Polo Park location was the best part of the old deal. Now it appears that the Polo location is out of the picture because Vic Toews has made funding contingent on the stadium being in a downtown location. Now, if there were a logical place to put it near down town, then OK. But that's not the case. The options are:

• Point Douglas, where an under-sized stadium will be shoe-horned in between rail way tracks and the river, with only three small roads (including one that goes through a residential neighbourhood) available to carry traffic to and from the games
• South of the convention center, where an under-sized stadium will sit empty for 350* days a year, doing nothing to make downtown more vibrant.

My message to Vic:

Vic: let us put our damned stadium where we want to put the damned stadium. If you want to fund it, fine. Don't force us to compromise by squeezing in a stadium that's too small in a location where it's not appropriate. If you want to fund a 24,000 seat stadium, give the money to Halifax!

*it will be used more often if it is domed, but it won't be domed because that would be crazy expensive and would also involve a big payoff to True North/Chipman who have a negotiated monopoly on large indoor events in Winnipeg.

related commentary from the peanut gallery:
Policy Frog one and two
Progressive Graham
Marginalized Action Dino
The Hack
Pissing on the Stadium
Rise and Sprawl
did I miss you? Let me know.