the Wall government, despite the tough budget a month ago.
Enterprise minister Ken Cheveldayoff had the model of the
proposed facility with him when he spoke to a business
breakfast in Saskatoon today. He says the government
continues to work behind the scenes, trying to put together
a funding formula involving the various stakeholders,
including the Roughriders. Cheveldayoff says support for
the project is very strong. With a fully-retractable roof,
the stadium carries an estimated price tag of more than
$400 million.
(CKRM/CJWW News)
39 comments:
Does the NDP support the dome? I doubt it they are stuck in the 1940's-go Riders!
I like it. I don't want to get all political like some do. But if they put together a winning funding formula, maybe those people will be on board as well.
Yeah there in the '40's ha ha. Meanwhile your municipal property taxes just went up another 4% and your powerbill went up before that. Instead of focusing on creating efficiencies so that doesn't happen you guys who are thinking about the future focus on a monorail...I mean dome.
Hey Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" had to learn the hard lesson about that BB Gun, and I'm thinking many of you will to where this project is concerned.
Thanks
Obama
The funding formula is to have a private sector interest put a plan together, pay for it, and run it, but that's not going to happen. When you use a business model system the thing falls apart on all levels.
Obama
Obama,
Why are you not the Premier.
You obviously have the answer to everything.
Except spelling and grammar!
I am glad to see Barack is commenting. How is Lorne and Link doing these days? Hey Barack, next time you see Link can you ask how spudco is doing? I need some french fries. Build the dome, go riders!
I'm betting there has been several phone calls to Florida. The Seminole Tribe owns all or most of the Hardrock cafes in the U.S of A. They proposed a pile of money for the new stadium but also wanted Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw. Wall wants to keep his 2 casinos but it doesn't mean they can't negotiate.
I believe that this stadium will happen and that there will be a lot more private funding happening that we think. Just my thought! And, believe me, if the stadium does not get built, our taxes and utility rates will go up each and every year. Not building a stadium is not going to stop that!
Bev J
So where's the people that thought they were smart and said the stadium isn't going to happen whatsoever? Now they're saying that yeah it'll happen but the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for everything. Why? Because that oh-so-evil private sector is going to pull out of all the funding and leave the taxpayers holding the bag, according to them. Well like it or not, Chevy and the team are going to make it happen. And the private sector is going to fund a large chunk of it. Oops I almost forgot, that evil Wall government just can't be trusted!!
Way to throw in the towel Bev. Grammatical mistakes must always be acknowledged. I didn't have my specs on.
Lorne and Link? If you are looking for cheerleading then carry on. If you are looking for business modelling, and analysis then pay attention you might learn a thing or two.
No I'm not running for Premier. The MLA I have is in the SP, and he's great guy who is doing very well with his portfolio.
When you are governing you just can't listen to the peanut gallery as often times they don't see the big picture. Utility and tax rates do not have to go up every year. If you make hard decisions, and learn to live with what you need rather than what you want, then it is clear cut.
Obama
Thanks Rod for the update. I always wonder what is going on and some small updates always let us know this project is still being worked on. Keep up the good work.
DJ
Saskatchewan had record profits for potash sales this quarter, better than ever. So looks like the gov't is making money again. I can see the stadium coming sooner than you think.
RDS
We shouldn't be selfish and restrict Obama to being Premier. Let him be Prime Minister so all Canadians can enjoy him.
Ducky
In the hype for a dome, don't dismiss history. If it was not for the forties go riders spirit there would be no riders today. We could learn much from the forties attitude like how to win a war, rebuild an economy, and live within our means. The prosperity we enjoy today started in the forties. Only those who know little about politics credit present Gov'ts for any proposed dome and discredit past Gov'ts. Business is business, past and present Govt's records on these large scale initiatives should not install any confidence. Anyone who does not understand that Chevy is trying to gain cheap political points on this one needs to do more research and thinking before dismissing any critical thought on the basis of partisan politics. Those who fought and died in the forties did so for the right to a informed opinion not a politically biased opinion. They were clearly opposing a politically biased opinion.
When you are governing you just can't listen to the peanut gallery as often times they don't see the big picture. Utility and tax rates do not have to go up every year. If you make hard decisions, and learn to live with what you need rather than what you want, then it is clear cut.
Obama
What we NEED is a larger infrastructure for increased housing and power supply to handle our growth ....this
costs money thus the increases. We also need a new state
of the art All Purpose facility to attract concerts, trade
shows etc..as well as having a first class stadium to attract
top calliber athletes. Perhaps the biggest reason we need
this is to reward Pro Football's most loyal and dedicated
fans with a facility that is comfortable, enjoyable no matter
what the weather is, and can be used year round by local and provicial sports teams & groups. If we don't do it now using private & gov't money there may not be a stadium for the next generation to go.
Big Rodge is an out of province Rider season ticket holder, so he don't care who pays for it.
Big Rodge will miss July and August home games outdoors when it is 25+ degrees and he is heading indoors for four hours. Just won't be the same.
Big Rodge
Obama,
If we stuck to only settling for what we need, everyone in Saskatchewan would be living in sod houses with no electricity or running water. Or universal healthcare (hit 'em where it hurts, right in the Tommy Douglas!).
Sometimes it's okay to set our sights a little higher.
Stan
Hey ducky we had our chance last election. Wasn't he leader of the liberal party?
Woo! let's do this!
we already park downtown for rider games so that's easy enough!
And if the tracks and rail yard are getting pulled for this whole thing, easy access from warehouse district too.
Come and join the I Support a New Multipurpose Stadium for Saskatchewan Facebook Group, already 6770 members strong. And invite your friends!!! Lets send a strong message to the decision makers that this is a facility we need and deserve.
Sask Stadium Facebook Group
It is hilarious to see a critic concede that, in a completely private for-profit business model, this proposal falls apart in all areas YET still pigheadedly ignores the obvious solution: a funding plan that includes support from the city, province, federal government, the Roughriders and private interests.
All major sports infrastructure in this country required public money. I'm just blown away that Obama can accurately point out the problem with a private for-profit model and yet be completely opposed to the solution to the problem.
Mosaic NEEDS to be replaced, and so a model that includes public money is being set up with the provincial government as the linchpin in order to fill that need. So cry a little louder.
The stadium should happen and if they wanna use tax money then go for it, rather see the money go towards a stadium then to those that abuse the welfare system in this province.
Obama:
You're a left wing socialist bastard.
I love Obama!!! You seem quite knowledgeable...full of crap but seem knowledgeable.
I see you are an NDP'er at heart. So you would obviously much perfer us to be a have not province again.
Taxes going up, utilities going up...yeah for the life of me I don't remember those things ever happeing when the NDP'ers were in office. Give your head a shake...cause that is one of the most idiotic excuses I hear from NDP'ers all the time...taxes are through the roof and going up all the time. Laughable...
it is just now with SP in power that I was able to find a good paying non-unionized job. (yes my job would be in Alberta if the NDP'ers had their way.)
I don't work for a large company but it is nice some options to chose from that don't involve me renting a U-Haul and moving but under SP we have people moving to this province!!
Obama, I love your posts...but I think you should just stick to commenting on sports.
Politics is not your best area...you think you know alot...but to you a depleted population and a loser image as a province is a good thing!
Cheers!!!
Post away Obama! Post away!!!
Mark
Post of the day goes to Mark.
Yeah post of the day...lol.
I am the only person on here that
advocates for the government getting out of the business of being in business, and picking winners and losers. Where this Left Wing label come from I'm at a loss to explain that. If I were Wall or "Chevy" I'd veer the steering wheel so far right, you guys would be in for a big surprise. The nanny state trough would be over.
Did it ever occur to any of you that instead of taking every nickel of profit your beloved Crown Corps make, and reinvesting that in their infastructure they wouldn't have to always go to the well for more? You know who does that? Access Communications, and it works. So this little game of taking money from reserve funds hits each and every one of us in the pocket book, yet nobody says a thing.
You moved here because of the SP being in power? You know what. I stayed here through the lean times when everyone was leaving, and built a good career here regardless of who was in power. I have a little more faith in the strength of my resume, then to worry about which party is in charge.
Obama
Join the Facebook Group Everyone!!!
Gimme a break. Facebook petitions are dumb.
Do you think the government cares if 6000 people clicked "JOIN" then never went on that page ever again? Especially when all of those 6000 people have a one-sided diehard Rider fan view?
Nope. They don't. Don't join a facebook group. Phone your MLA or email them. That's how you talk to government.
Hey Rod, it is just like we talked about last week, you throw a little nugget out to your people and let the comment section take on a life of it's own. I have no idea why I wasted my time reading all of them but it was making me laugh so I kept going. Love all the sports info Rod, now i will let these guys get back to fighting about who knows more about politics. What a joke.
Rob C
Hey Anonymous, I have it on good authority that the decision makers are very aware of the facebook group. In addition to that, how often do you hear the media refer to facebook groups in regards to support for various issues? (ie all the fricking time).
That said, when the media reports something that thousands of people want, that reasonates to those who may be sitting on the fence or those who are misinformed on the issue. So yes facebook groups do serve a purpose, and if they don't then someone should alert the media. lol
Cheers
Guy
Rob I apologize for bringing up politics on a sports blog. I know that with the whole stadium thing comes the political fight alongside it but this blog was meant for sports and random stuff and not bitter partisan politics that polarizes us. I'll stick to riderfans for political debates, boy those ones can get nasty.
Nope lived here my whole life. And I like my resume too...but damn was it nice to have more than three places to apply. I have made a very nice living in this province...just think now we have some great oppourtunites to advance our careers even farther (psst Obama that means companies are finding Saskatchewan a great place to do business) and buy that bigger house etc. lol. We both obviously have good enough and are good enough at our jobs that we can waste an hour a day posting and reading all the posts on here!!!
So Obama you are in favour of selling off the crowns? Or just smaller business that the government seems to get into?
I have never liked taking all of the profits and not reinvesting in the infastructure. But to think that SP are the only ones to have ever done this just shows how narrow your view is!!
I think my saskpower bill jumped more when NDP'ers were in office than they have in the last couple years. Just from the fact there wasn't a huge tax base in this province...but thankfully that tax base is growing...daily!
Who knows...but like you, I do hate to see SE, SlackTel and SPower turn big profits and then come back and say they need to raise our rates to upgrade their infastructure.
Mark
I know this seems really crazy, but I'm going to reserve judgment on government's involvement is in the stadium project until I see what it actually is.
What involvement I've seen so far, I'm ok with. Right now, CIC has taken a facilitative role in the process. They have created a dialogue among stakeholders who are interested in the project and they are using their position to explore what the funding options are.
I don't know about anyone else, but I seriously doubt that government is willing to pony up the entire cost of their own. They are, however, in a position to leverage investments from other parties - including the feds. For example, while the feds may not be interested in funding the actual stadium, there are considerable infrastructure costs related to the site itself. Maybe they kick in for that. Regardless, it would be naive to think this or any government wouldn't understand the political implications of funding a project like this alone.
In any event, trotting out criticisms of the Crowns, utility rates, children's hospitals, affordable housing, civic tax rates, etc., in the context of this conversation is, at best, premature. There is nothing to suggest that this project negatively affects any of those things. In fact, the opposite may be true in some cases.
How about we all put away our tinfoil hats and focus on the facts? What the governments do (and have historically done) with Crown profits is a valid discussion, but it shouldn't be part of this one. At this point, we simply don't have the facts that support connecting the two.
And no - the potential to utilize SGC to raise funds for the stadium is NOT the same thing.
Yeesh.
Rob C.
I think the comments are hilarious. People come on here pretending to be "experts" about everything in the world but lose all credibility when they make spelling mistakes over and over.
It's the great cespool of saskatchewan and I love to take a dip everyday!!
Have a good weekend Rob and Rod.
Russ from Saskatoon
Ouch, my taxes went up 4%. Where will I get that extra $80/year from.
Besides Obama, I thought you left.
I have finally figured out what Lorne Calvert is up to, he is posting on Rods blog under his socialist idol's namesake.
The main line tracks aren't being removed, only the CP rail yards.
Lots of NDPers want a stadium and lots of Saskparty supporters don't. Politics has little do do with being a Rider fan.
I'd say that the silence since the "tough budget" speaks louder than any whispers coming out now from the SP. Government support at this point is lip service. If it happens I have no problem paying some higher taxes, but the retractable roof is a must. If the funders cost cut that option I say we keep the ol' girl around until she crumbles...nothing better than enjoying summer weather at a Rider game...and for the 2-3 cold games late in the year I don't really mind them either.
Cheers,
Dustin
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