AntiRust: I Hope the Penguins Leave

I like hockey. I really do. And I like the Penguins. I watch games when I can. I think Mario is a swell guy. Blah blah blah blah blah.

But if these are the conditions for a new arena, I hope the plan falls through and the team goes to Kansas City. Or wherever:

Gov. Ed Rendell said today that public officials have offered the Penguins the best deal any National Hockey League team has received to build an arena in recent years.

The governor, who participated in a meeting between public officials and team executives late last night, elaborated on the discussions to keep the team in Pittsburgh as he emerged from the Sheraton Hotel in Station Square this morning.

He said that, under terms discussed last night, the Penguins would be expected to contribute a fraction of what the Pirates, Steelers and three Philadelphia teams -- the Eagles, Flyers and Phillies -- put into their new facilities in recent years.

Now, I am much more a Steelers fan. Always have been. Born and raised. Weaned on Lambert and Bradshaw and Stallworth, etc. But if the Rooney's had demanded this, I would have told them to leave. In fact, I would have told them to leave when they demanded what they ended up getting.

They would have left eventually, too. And I would have been booted out of office immediately. But it would have been worth it. This is all a terrible, terrible sham. A farce. And a shameful testimony to our view of what we think government is for.

Sigh.

And just to be clear, I think the Pens are staying. And that Mario will get whatever he wants.

But a final question: As far as I can tell, Kansas City already has an arena built and will not charge the team anything for it. Right? But still, Rendell says this:

"I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that's been made to any NHL team for a new stadium in recent times."

So how can Rendell's offer be better than "the Penguins pay nothing"? I might well be misinterpreting the deal in KC. But this has me worried. Is the governor actually going to PAY the Penguins to stay?

UPDATE: Today's Post-Gazette has some more info that starts clearing thigs up a bit. It's bad. That is, while you might quibble with the language, I think the answer is, yes, we are trying to pay the Penguins to stay in town:

Despite the objections by the Penguins, Mr. Rendell believes Plan B is still better than what Kansas City is offering because the team would have to share building revenues there. In Pittsburgh, they would get virtually all such revenues from hockey and non-hockey events, excluding the parking.

Well, maybe excluding the parking:

Asked about the sharing of parking revenues, Mr. Rendell replied, "Parking is on the table for discussion."

So... This is a "multi-purpose" public arena that will generate all sorts of revenue for the city and state. We HAVE TO build it. It's economic development, stupid!

And what, exactly, will we do with all the parking and rental revenue that the multipurpose arena generates?

We'll give it to the hockey team!

See? This is not public money for hockey. This is a public economic development investment, the revenues from which are for hockey.

Right. What's the highest bridge in Pittsburgh? I have some jumping to do.

Comments

First, Rendell isn't to be trusted. His words are meaningless.

But to your question, I might venture a guess. Perhaps Rendell's meaning was to the point that this offer from him, Onoratoa and Ravenstahl beats the best offer any NHL team, (and team in PA) has ever had in the past. So, his offer beats what was ever offered before -- and would exclude any and all offers at PRESENT.

Better than any offer that has been made and accepted up to this point.

Just a hunch, FWIW, and it ain't much.

Posted by: Mark Rauterkus | January 20, 2007 at 04:07 AM

I'll help them pack.

Posted by: Jonathan Potts | January 20, 2007 at 08:32 AM