Column: A city fights back against the ol’ arena flimflam
Associated Press
23-05-19 20:17
Arizona voters rejected a referendum to build a $2.3bn mixed-use development that included a new arena for National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, the Arizona Coyotes, nixing the chance to recapture the team that spent last season playing at the 5,000-seat Gila River Arena far to the west. However, the vote marked an exception: the Athletics are demanding a similar ransom from Las Vegas and/or the adjacent state of Nevada. This included two sites for a $1.5bn stadium on the Strip and a demand for $500m from the public, although the proposed price has now fallen to $395m. Unfortunately for voters, stadium-seekers have been transitioning to mixed-use development, as exemplified by the Atlanta Braves' battery of restaurants, shops, hotels, flats and offices next to the team's new suburban stadium largely funded with public money.