[jstubbs]

Reports alone said Garth Brooks and his nine shows in Edmonton brought $42m into Edmonton's local economy. I can only imagine that number is on the sunny-side, but it provides insight of how new fancy arena's benefit the Cities they're placed in, not just the owner(s) of the building. I agree that it's an absurd concept that we as taxpayers in Edmonton paid to subsidize Katz's place, but there is no question that it has brought a variety of benefits, economically and otherwise, and it's an essential piece to CoE's plan of revitalizing downtown.

Calgary needs to think long and hard about the decision about a new arena that is subsidized by taxpayers. Edmonton can be seen as doing everything correctly in terms of at least having an overall plan in place in terms of creating the ice district, and developing it along with new downtown highrise condo developments, new museum/other city facilities, and propping up the idea of urban infill rather than further expansion into surrounding area suburbs.