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"Plan B" For A New Arena In The Works:

Death To Johnstown

By Death To Johnstown
in Pittsburgh

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Death To Johnstown Whistle-Stop

Death To Johnstown

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Could this mean that Cheesesteak Eddie is now willing to release the $60-$90 million in state funds that was once earmarked to help finance a new Pittsburgh arena?

Couldn't do it though when the Lemieux Group LP first asked ; a good while back, mind you. Hmmmmmmm.

The Tom Ridge package revisited?

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TheGerbil Burg

TheGerbil

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:wacko:

This is dumb. We have an excellent plan in front of us for a free arena, and NOW they are willing to use public money? That makes zero sense. And I for one don't want them to use public money when we could have it for FREE.

I think the Pens are being a little unreasonable, but I totally understand why they are taking the stance that they are. What's really baffling is the behavior of the government, not of the Pens.

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mercurypa Whistle-Stop

mercurypa

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:wacko:

This is dumb. We have an excellent plan in front of us for a free arena, and NOW they are willing to use public money? That makes zero sense. And I for one don't want them to use public money when we could have it for FREE.

I think the Pens are being a little unreasonable, but I totally understand why they are taking the stance that they are. What's really baffling is the behavior of the government, not of the Pens.

I used to be a fan of the Harrah's proposal, because it would enhance the skyline of downtown so much. But as I talk to more people, I see that they want the Penguins to stay, and we do need a new arena, and since money isn't so plentiful right now, it would be better to get it for free. I think Harrah's would drag its feet on all the lifestyle development anyway, especially after announcing such big losses last year. We should use the public money to either repair roads, or start a light rail project into Oakland perhaps via the Hill district and the new arena.

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PghUSA Town

PghUSA

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O'Connor better be careful what he wishes for . . . he might be as pure as the pope on this but an FBI investigation on the "Appearance" of impropriety can take a half decade and distract the city and its budget for double that time.

Our statesmen (and women) have an obligation to be better than honest they have an obligation to leave no doubt whatsoever, if I was advising O'Connor I'd tell him to either give the money back or donate it to the Heinz Endowments or Salvation Army etc.

He has more then his personal reputation at stake, he has the next 4-8 years of the city of Pittsburgh and the region at stake!

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PghUSA Town

PghUSA

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^lol that was good Gerbil . . . I remember when Mario Lemieux gave the press conference at 4pm that day (a month ago now?) ESPN and ESPNNews were carrying it on their global feeds, and you had local reporters asking all about PlanB and IsleOfCapri lol, then they asked something to the affect if Lemuiex was retiring from hockey so he could run for City Council or Governor . . . one way to ensure a Pittsburgh arena!

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Death To Johnstown Whistle-Stop

Death To Johnstown

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Onorato distinguishes himself from the pack:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06061/663449.stm

"Assuming all the numbers are accurate, the Isle of Capri has set the bar on what can be contributed back. If that's legitimate and that's accurate, I think you start there," he said in an interview.

Mr. Onorato said he does not believe there is any way to build an arena without slots money, all but closing the door on any Plan B. Although he has talked in the past about a plan that didn't use slots, he no longer believes that's possible.

Even if the state released $90 million in capital money earmarked for an arena, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District provided $20 million to $25 million using existing arena allocations, that would still fall way short of the estimated $300 million needed, he said.

"Let me be very clear: Slots money has to be involved. If we're going to build a multipurpose facility, [slots money] can take on several different forms but it's got to be a part of this," he said.

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TheGerbil Burg

TheGerbil

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Another interesting point I saw in that article: pressure is being put on the other competitors to put forward funds for an arena. So perhaps, if we are lucky, we will get a substantial contribution no matter who gets the license.

Mr. Rendell .... said he would like to see two competitors for the license -- Forest City Enterprises and Detroit businessman Don Barden -- devote at least part of their slot machine revenue to financing the arena
.... Mr. Barden has asked the state Gaming Control Board to determine if it is legal to pledge money for an arena from gambling revenues. He also has asked whether the Penguins would have to be licensed if an arena were funded that way.

He said yesterday that if he gets clearance on those issues, he is prepared to negotiate on "contributing substantial funding" for an arena.

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