The whole reason Edmonton is a desirable destination for this kind of project is precisely that it can be made all but invisible to the rest of us. It’s not like we’ll get to go to the …
EDMONTON — Having squinted at tea leaves — very well, the fishwrap — I am beginning to think it likely that Edmonton will become one of the “hub” venues for an improvised end to the 2019-20 National Hockey League season. Alberta and city politicians have been talking about the possibility with increasing enthusiasm, and the Oilers are squirting out ever-increasing volumes of detail on their scheme to have televised games in a quarantined Rogers Place.
Other city rinks are closed to the public, and can be used for training and practices without annoying anyone. These are of typical Canadian quality — after all, they’re just the sort of place where most NHLers learned their trade. It is hard to think of U.S. cities that would work as well outside the Minnesota-to-Maine hockey belt.
I suspect, however, that once the whole thing is “go” for launch, there will be a bit of a letdown. The whole reason Edmonton is a desirable destination for this kind of project is precisely that it can be made all but invisible to the rest of us. It’s not like we’ll get to go to the games. The broadcasters won’t even be able to shoot a bunch of new scenic B-roll of Edmonton.
What the team and the league won’t be so careful to bring to our attention is that Edmontonians are already on the hook for the space-age arena, financed mostly from the incremental increases that the downtown property tax base is supposed to enjoy in the coming decades. As an owner of downtown property, I can’t say I have seen any such thing as an increase in my assessment value yet. I was slightly behind in nominal dollars, over nearly a decade, even before the economy got put in the freezer.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Could Alberta's stronger travel safety measures impact Edmonton's 'hub' city chances?Ryan Rishaug joins Rod Smith to discuss the stronger border measures implemented in Alberta, and the impact they could have on Edmonton becoming a potential NHL 'hub' city.
Read more »
NHL coaches on life behind the bench: 'It's a really emotional place' - Sportsnet.caNHL benches are cramped spaces with a lot of energy. Sometimes it's positive, but it's often very much the opposite.
Read more »
NHL Players’ Association executive board voting on 24-team playoff as return to play formatResults of vote could be in as soon as Friday night; health and safety protocols still need to be negotiated
Read more »
AP source: NHLPA board voting on 24-team playoff format to returnThe NHL Players' Association's executive board is voting on a 24-team playoff proposal as the return to play format, a person with knowledge of the situation tells the Associated Press.
Read more »
Former Edmonton Oiler part of group set to operate RE/MAX FieldThe future of baseball in Edmonton is looking brighter after a group led by a former Edmonton Oiler agreed to a 10-year lease to operate RE/MAX Field.
Read more »