The Morning Call staff was treated to a special premiere* of the Hockey Arena Power-Point, before that presentation hits the public circuit. The publicly funded impact study, or should I say study for impact, states that the arena could generate $39million into downtown's economy. Although they hope to draw no more people than Sovereign Center, that facility claims only benefiting Reading's economy $8million. An expert on such municipal projects, Dennis Coates, said "It is basically a public relations document as opposed to an economic analysis." *Although much of the critical analysis of the impact study occurs after the jump in the hard copy edition, it is a well done article by Scott Kraus.
Honestly, i'm on the fence about the Arena( maybe a bridge, waiting to see which side to jump off), but if they can generate 8 million dollars in the s**thole that is Reading , PA. , maybe they can make 39 million here. LOL!
ReplyDeleteMike in selling the arena the Mayor fails to tell you that if his projections are off, what are the cost to the taxpayers of Allentown in paying off the debt
ReplyDeleteA publicity stunt as compared to genuine, objective critical analysis?
ReplyDeleteSay it ain't so, Mr. Mo!
Gee, I sure hope Councilman Donovan does not 'withdraw his support' for the arena, as he indicated was a distinct possibility at O'Hare's place earlier this week ... I would be devastated to find out an esteemed public servant had been hustled.
Retired ASD teacher here.
ReplyDeleteThe group PAYING for the market study receives a favorable report. No surprise there.
The article claims the Reading facility LOST money last year. Somehow, things will be much different in Allentown.
Unless the Allentown building attracts NEW spenders from well outside the Lehigh Valley, where is the actual gain? The re-directed, same local dollars component is significant, and true.
An arena as small as the proposed Allentown project will NOT be a greater attraction capable of taking events from Hershey, Wilkes-Barre, and possibly Reading and Stabler. The convention floor space will be less square footage than now found at Stabler Arena & Raush Fieldhouse. Scheduling more than 100 events at the Allentown building is overly optimistic.
So, where is all the NEW money coming from?
This is a real, high stakes, roll of the dice. A political casino play funded by taxpayer dollars.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, i'm on the fence about the Arena( maybe a bridge, waiting to see which side to jump off), but if they can generate 8 million dollars in the s**thole that is Reading , PA. , maybe they can make 39 million here. LOL!
November 20, 2011 10:33 AM
Reading may be a "s**hole" but Sovereign Center is the only game in town. If they can't make it how will Allentown succees with all the competition from State Theatre, Symphony Hall, Civic Theatre, Stabler, Steel Stacks and FIVE major colleges with teriffic theatre and entertaiment programs...not to mention the pending Sands Casino theatre, Mt. Airy...and 500 channels on cable?
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
Honestly, i'm on the fence about the Arena( maybe a bridge, waiting to see which side to jump off), but if they can generate 8 million dollars in the s**thole that is Reading , PA. , maybe they can make 39 million here. LOL!
November 20, 2011 10:33 AM
Reading may be a "s**hole" but Sovereign Center is the only game in town. If they can't make it how will Allentown succees with all the competition from State Theatre, Symphony Hall, Civic Theatre, Stabler, Steel Stacks and FIVE major colleges with teriffic theatre and entertaiment programs...not to mention the pending Sands Casino theatre, Mt. Airy...and 500 channels on cable?
Great points! If Reading only realizes that piddling amount with little entertainment competition....what will happen in Allentown, with lot's of other choices?
VOR