Edmonton just approved a deal for building the Oilers a new arena where taxpayers will split the bill. Why is every city and county able to figure out how to finance a new arena, except for the town of Hempstead and Nassau County. Just ask every city who has failed to keep their sports franchise, how losing a professional sports team has effected their local economy and standard of living. After the loss of the Browns Cleveland built a new arena and petition the NFL for an expansion team and Seattle is trying to figure out how to get either a NBA or NHL team. The reason why Seattle are trying to replace the Sonics:
"The lawmakers said beyond a new team, the net positive financial impact for WA State businesses would be helpful during these tough economic times. Seattle city expert economist, Lon Hatamiya, in a 2008 Seattle Times article, estimated that the Seattle Super Sonics contributed $188 million a year to our local economy while they played in Washington."With all of Nassau's financial problems can they afford to lose the hundreds of millions of dollars the Islanders generate? In my mind the answer is no and they also can't afford losing the team from a standard of living standpoint as well. As a country we can't continue to shutdown things and think our economic problems will be solved. Rather we need to start rebuilding and work towards a solution. We need to continue to advance and work our way through this economic recession. Hopefully one day Nassau will realize this, because if they don't someone else, and will land the Islanders.
Additional Reading:
http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/news/lawmakers-to-create-plan-to-bring-back-sonics/
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/02/report-seattle-building-a-new-arena-to-lure-hockey-team/
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