We have heard this song and dance before;
The parking fee is among emerging details as promoters seek support for a
$150 million entertainment and sports complex next to the Arena and Convention Center.
Remember the $18 million dollar renovation of the Washington Pavilion that has costed taxpayers $40 million to date and we are still not done with the building (this is construction costs NOT subsidies). Or the $1.5 million for Phillips to the Falls that ended up costing twice that (after the mayor broke city ordinance to approve the 100% increase in spending). Not sure where this number is coming from, but I can guarantee $150 million won’t build us a 12,000 seat facility.
Here are my cost estimates (based on the South DaCola Sioux Falls entertaintment facility calculator, where you basically take everything your told by politicians and take that times two)
• New EC: $180 million
• Arena upgrades: $10 million
• Convention Center upgrades and expansion: $20 million
• New Howard Wood (which taxpayers will have to foot the bill for one way or another): $26 million (this was a number Darin Daby was throwing around)
• Destruction of HW and Parking: $15 million
TOTAL COST OF PROJECT: $251 MILLION
I will be curious how the Task Force spins these numbers. There was one positive part to the column though;
It also depends on City Council endorsement this fall, permission from the Legislature to raise the city sales tax, then voter approval in November 2010 and two years for construction.
I don’t think it will make it to voter approval, but I was glad to here that is still a part of the plan. We all know our rubber stamp council will approve it, any opportunity to raise our taxes they are front and center.
That because buried in this project is the entire expense to tear down Howard Wood and relocate it out by the Airport on the basically worthless ground Sanford is donating next to the youth footbal complex. Figure about $30 million for that little project, ironically about the same amount Baloun is lamenting we’d have to pay to build a ramp and leave HWF.
Also, you know they will do some sitework and engineering for the 150 room hotel that Ramkota will agree to build right next to it. I think that has been a backroom deal since day one and one reason why they don’t want to go downtown where it should be built. Also why the B&B tax gets constantly pist on. Problem is that still leaves us at least 250 rooms short of the minimum amout the consultant said we try to add. It also leaves us without the shopping and entertainment district the same consultant said needs to be close by in order for the place to succeed.
The only logical explanation for the TF’s recommendation is they want it to fail big and go away for a long time.
I just read the AL comments on the subject, about half of them are idiots. There seems to be this mentality that we should build it and get it over with, who cares if the funding is flawed, who cares if the location is stupid. I want a new EC, but I want it to be done fiscally responsible and I want the location to be prudent.