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.

New Stadium for Halifax

Another thing ... Halifax needs a new stadium more then we do. I know that somebody from Halifax visits this blog. Whoever you are, you should spread the word that the Feds are chipping in $30 mil for a new stadium here. Maybe that will put some pressure on somebody out there to get the ball rolling on a stadium for the Schooners again. It's high time Nova Scotia had a team in the CFL.

The Atlantic Schooners need a home!

Tomorrow I will likely be writing about the Bombers amazing win over the Saskatewan Banjo-Pickers in the Grey Cup. Today, I am writing about the Schooners. As a CFL fan, I truly believe that we need a team in the Altantic provinces, and I am equally sure that they have the support to make it successful. All they need is a stadium!

I am reminded of this because this time last year, I was having a blast at the Down East Kitchen Party here in Winnipeg .. possibly the best of the Grey Cup parties. There is no question that East Coasters know how to have a good time. They are passionate people who are starved for a professional sports team to rally behind. Consider that Halifax/Dartmouth has a population of about half a million, in a province of 900,000 -- roughly equivalent to Manitoba or Saskatewan, and I think it's obvious that it will be a success. New rivalries will be borne and many kegs of Keiths will be drank. All good stuff.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, if they want it so bad, why doesn't somebody step forward to build a stadium? And then we get into that whole argument of public money funding stadiums and all that. Look, the reality in the sports world is that stadiums are rarely built with only private money. Look at all these stadiums that are on the drawing boards. Do you think that these are all being built with private bucks only? I mean, there's a freakin' 80,000 seat stadium in Baghdad fer chryssakes! Who the hell is paying for that?? Professional sports is a quality of life factor and an economic generator that the government should have an interest in promoting. Build the damn ball park! Steal the plans for Waterfront Stadium in Vancouver and save the cost of design if you have to.