Saving the Jackets | The Columbus Dispatch

No. If hockey fans and arena district business owners want the BJs to stay, then let them pay for it. Not me.

And why did those incumbent appointed city council members all get re-elected? Are people really that enthused about being taxed to death just so that Mike Coleman can give it away to his buddies? STOP THE MADNESS!

Pack the team up and move it. I couldn't care less about a hockey team being here. I do care about paying more taxes.

Losing the jackets would have a devastating effect on the greater Columbus area youth hockey leagues that are growing and thriving. Just stop by a Chiller ice facility on any given evening and see what is going on there. Leadership, mentoring, all the positive influences necessary to provide the positive influences that develope tomorrow's leaders.

This doesn't seem too difficult to figure out. The city cuts them a $5 million deal and continues to receive $30 million in taxes. Total gain,$25 million.

Or we could say screw it all and let them leave. Total loss,$30 million.

The following is from the Casino in the Arena District article:

"The real bottom line is we really don't know enough about the specific plans of the operator to have a complete reaction," said Nationwide Realty's Ellis. "A lot of it is guesswork at this point."

But, he added: "The Arena District is going to be successful with or without a casino."

So it sounds like Nationwide should be the ones giving the CBJ a break on rent, etc, since the Arena District is going to be a success whether or not there is a casino.

I'm sure this very Dispatch can help out as well. Every time "the truth", "lfod" or "steve_stiffler" post on Topix's Dispatch Board, John Wolfe will pay the CBJ one dollar.

Let the Blue Jackets gouge residents of another city. Pro sports franchises are ridiculously inept businesses that bleed every dollar they can from fanbases, plead poverty, then move. Columbus would be just fine without NHL hockey. The Chill were a better value for Columbus residents. I guess the Hunt family weren't greedy enough to be allowed to be a part of the NHL ownership group. The McConnell family certainly is these days.

Jason wrote:

This doesn't seem too difficult to figure out. The city cuts them a $5 million deal and continues to receive $30 million in taxes. Total gain,$25 million.
Or we could say screw it all and let them leave. Total loss,$30 million.

What, is that claimed $30 million going to just evaporate?

See ya. If you can't survive in this market without a public subidy, it' time to go. Police, Fire, Schools, Trash Pickup, Health Inspections, Hockey - which one of these is not a service government should provide?

Sure hope they can fix this: Crew and CBJ's are the only sports around for us enlightened Columbus imports who can't stand the Buckeyes. Its helps balance out the sea of scarlet and grey sheep we encounter everyday

No tax dollars for pro sports. NOT ONE DIME

Too bad. If the Blue Jackets can't cut it, then good riddance. I am tired of being asked to subsidize other peoples' businesses because they made bad decisions. Who negotiated and signed the lease -- not me. If they want to tax someone, tax the people who use the arena -- not me. As they article noted, voters have demonstrated they are against using public money to support the CBJ. Now the power brokers are trying to perform and end run by appealing to our "elected officials" to get what they want. In the end, I expect that the voters' wishes will be disregarded, and enough of the right people will be bought off through back room lobbying efforts for Nationwide, the Dispatch, et. al. to have their way, once again proving that we have the best government money can buy.

Buh bye blue jackets! Get the puck outta here! and don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Just raise ticket prices. That way, those who NEED a team can pay for it. Raise food prices too. Require a three drink minimum. Charge that in the gate fee and give coupons. There, problem solved!

walk54 wrote:

Losing the jackets would have a devastating effect on the greater Columbus area youth hockey leagues that are growing and thriving. Just stop by a Chiller ice facility on any given evening and see what is going on there. Leadership, mentoring, all the positive influences necessary to provide the positive influences that develope tomorrow's leaders.

There's an answer! Charge all the kids that participate in youth hockey an additional yearly fee of $50. Hell, as much as equipment costs, their parents won't even miss it. Charge it at EVERY rink, like a tax, but not really a tax. It's a "fee". Then, give it to the BlueJackasses, er, Jackets.

While I do agree that a revisit of the so-called burdens is needed since the team and the arena were created under different economic realities than exist today - the vote for a pubicly funded arena was quite clear back then and any attempt to push a money loser on to tax payers has to be put to another vote.

If I remember right the arena already had its property tax valuation changed to a lower value and probably some tax breaks can be done since the county gets $30 million a year but ownership of the place must be voted on by the people of the county.

A professional sports team is NOT on the same par as fire or police units on the needed scale.

Well...Bye.

The casino now seems like a must to help save the arena district and thousands of jobs, millions in tax revenue. Pls don't let out conservative politicans mess this up!

A subsidy for Nationwide Insurance? AIG of the Midwest! Let CBJ move and turn arena into casino.

If the individual owners had the millions of dollars necessary to build the arena and the millions necessary to purchase the NHL team franchise, them maybe they should have managed both in a fiscally responsible way. Their other business interests seem to prosper. I don't remember hearing that Nationwide Insurance, Worthington Industries, Ron Pizutti, The Dispatch, or Crane Inc. were filing bankruptcy.

City and county officials better think long and hard before attempting any bailout plan that isn't approved by the voters.

No more taxes wrote:

Pack the team up and move it. I couldn't care less about a hockey team being here. I do care about paying more taxes.

Well said!

The simple answer is for the County commissioners (do not leave it to the City of Columbus as they will just squander it on some other debacle) to pass a casino tax on ALL revenue generated from wagering, food and beverage sales at the casino located in Franklin County. Take over ownership of the arena using the tax casino tax to offset expenses charging the Blue Jackets $1 each year for every year they fail to be a Stanley Cup contender. If the team cannot survive on its own after that deal, they are not viable for this market and should move.

The only problem with this plan is that the Ohio voters were duped into writing a casino plan into the Ohio Constitution that ties the hands of most local governments to appropriately tax and regulate their operations. It's time for the legal experts to examine this thing and figure out how to overturn it quickly.