Your Questions

[carmichaeldave]

Good to see we have something underway.

A running point that seems to continually come up in this forum is that of specifics, and education.

As I will be in a position to ask, and broadcast many of these questions, I would like you all to help me help you help me....

Please list the questions you would like asked of the Maloofs, city council members, and anyone else in a position to answer them. I of course have a long list of my own that I will be posing on my upcoming programs, but we are all in this together.

I would actually like many of these questions to come from the skeptics, so that I can help address and answer the potential negatives or hanging problems. Sometimes things can get lost in the gobbledegook of "lets vote yes" or "lets vote no"....and it makes it more difficult to simply educate.

I know that my station will be hardcore pro-arena, and that's natural. But I will aim to get deep in the community, a place I was born and raised. I want to present both sides, because I fear that many no voters are simply in fear of the unknown. But again, it could be me that is wearing blinders and is mistaken.

Either way, I am going to do everything to ensure that by the time November rolls around, I have done my part to help educate the public on both sides. As this is the predominant gathering place for all things Kings online, I would be remiss in not taking advantage of the audience here.

So let me lean on you for a bit, and I will endeavour to respond by making sure your voices (and questions) are heard and answered.

Thanks,

CD

 

[1kingzfan]

Hey, Dave, all you have to do is go through the "Education Points" thread here and get the main topics of concern which need, no, REQUIRE some information release by our leaders.

Although a few folks here have called the arena supporters here "rah-rah" and merely regurgitating what we hear and read in the press, I think if you truly read what folks here have to say, you will see it is a thoughtful, balanced, heady crowd. You'll also find that folks here WANT all the facts to come out so that everyone on both sides has the best information available to make their decision in November.

Thanx in advance for your own efforts in this very necessary step of providing all of the information about the arena financing decisionmaking, estimated future impacts and benefits, and the overall education of the public.

 

[JB_kings]

Well one suggestion I would have is for the 1140 morning guys to stop giving air time to the bitter guy who has trouble spelling his own first name out all the way. Most people know he's a joke, but does he really need a microphone and a word processor to prove that so often?

Anyway, I'm obviously a pro-arena guy so I won't help. I have watched a number of man-on-the-street interviews on various news stations and the one theme that pops up way more than others is this: "Why do we need a new building when the old one is just fine?". I don't know if it's going to be enough to communicate the condition of Arco. You still have a bunch of folks that are still happy driving around in the same car that they heard their first Boy George song in 20 years ago. So I don't think the "old run down arena" argument is going to hit home enough. What has to be done is to drive home the reality that Arco has a date with the wrecking ball whether this thing passes or not. It's something the Maloofs are never going to educate us on and so far guys like Rob Fong and Roger Dickenson have hinted around the topic. But most realize the Maloofs will not wait around until 2008 for another vote. This is the one shot. Next spring the 10 year no-move clause in the 1997 loan agreement expires. So there would be zero legal issues if the Kings move. And when they go, so does Arco. It gets leveled and sold off to pay back a good chunk of that '97 loan. It's a mean and nasty and totally un-PC for the key figures to use as a talking point. But it's about as real as the need to run the A/C today.

 

[KP]

-Carmichael Dave, First of all your show kicks ***.

Anyways, one thing I'd really like to hear about is what else besides the actual Arena is slated to be built as part of this "sports entertainment" project? Are we talking Hotels? Resturaunts? How about Parking facilities and/or infrastructure changes? I've even heard stuff about a certain amount of condo units as part of this deal. There is kind of a lot of vague guessing going on about this topic, It would be nice if we could hear some specifics from somebody in the know... but even just an idea of what the overall concept is going to be would be cool. I think many people think this is just going to be an Arena for the Kings, it would be nice to be able to help define the actual meaning of a "sports entertainment" complex.

 

[nebs]

I have watched a number of man-on-the-street interviews on various news stations and the one theme that pops up way more than others is this: "Why do we need a new building when the old one is just fine?".

I agree, it seems that is the everyday citizen's argument in those man-on-the-street interviews. "Nope I aint gun vote fer that, they still got that Arco Arena just fine out there." Okay that's not an exact quote.

Anyway, Dave, I look forward to hearing some more of your show in the coming months. You might need to lay off the UFC for a minute though.

 

[Warhawk]

I don't think you'll be able to get good answers on what other projects might be getting funded for 2 reasons:

1. The cities/county won't get the money for a couple years, according to an article I read IIRC.

2. It is a general tax, so getting a bunch of different communities to comment on what specific projects they MIGHT fund with an unknown amount of dollars at some point in the future isn't something a lot of politicians are going to go out of their way to address.

Many people apparently still have no idea why the tax had to be >2x the cost of the arena politically - lower the voting threshhold - or know and are just complaining as if they don't.

Some complain about the size, but if that's what it takes to keep the Kings and kick-start a new redevelopment on the railyards, then I am all for it. Heck, I say we make it permanent and use it to fund the next arena, and the next, and the next......

Many try to compare NFL buildings built with private $$$ ignoring the huge differences in the leagues and individual projects and demands in particular.

Some folks are complaining about the Maloofs' share being spread out long-term, but isn't the county's/cities' funding also spread out over the life of the tax?

Anyways, hope this helps.