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With all due respect to author W.P. Kinsella, the modest proposal to build an indoor sports arena in Coeur d’Alene could very easily become a nightmare — if taxpayers are required to pick up the mess somewhere down the road. We have no objection to private interests trying to dig up $25 million or so for the project and, later, reap whatever rewards their personal risks capture. But even in this early stage of discussions and analysis about a 6,000-seat facility at Riverstone, we detect the distinct smell of taxpayer dollars in the process ahead. Understand, we aren’t anti-arena. There would be many benefits to having a fine home for concerts, trade shows and sporting events. But we think the less taxpayers are involved, the better the idea becomes/CDA Press Editorial Board. More here.
Question: Is it reasonable to consider building a $25M indoor sports arena in Coeur d’Alene, during these troubled economic times?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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Whippersnapper on February 20 at 9:42 a.m.
I like the idea of a sports/entertainment venue in Coeur d’Alene as well, but I think that there needs to be a business plan behind the idea. The area now has the Spokane Arena, the Knitting Factory (old Big Easy), the CdA and Northern Quest Casinos, the Spokane opera house (the INB theater), the Fox theater and smaller rooms at colleges and fraternal halls. Where would this fit? Who it create a quandary for where mid-size attractions would stop? Would it immediately have a major event or two to bankroll it?
Whippersnapper on February 20 at 9:42 a.m.
who=would
Joker on February 20 at 9:59 a.m.
Sports arenas can be giant anchors on cities. I am not sure the public would be able to support this. I smell boondoogle.
Dawn_Q_Otee on February 20 at 10:05 a.m.
Who would suffer from a competing facility: Greyhound Park Events Center, Kootenai County Fairgounds, Coeur d’Alene Resort to name a few.
Stickman on February 22 at 5:51 p.m.
No.