Anyone with vision for the growth of this city (and state) sees the benefit of a downtown arena. However, it is absolutely crazy that the water company site has not been given the full consideration it deserves. And why not? Steve Langford of WAVE 3 News did a Hot Button opinion piece in which his sole reason for dismissing the water co. site was that it was too small to accomodate adjoining hotels, restaurants, and retail space. What!? The water company site is next door a brand new gigantic Marriott to the North and Fourth Street Live to the West! We're not talking about building another Fourth Street Live on the river are we?

We need to support the businesses that have already invested in downtown, specifically those on 4th Street Live. I work downtown and frequent 4th Street Live and I don't park down by the river when I go. People coming out of a water company site arena would be right there at Fourth Street Live and a lot of them would surely hang around after events. Down by the river, what they they are likely to do is get in their cars and go home. Sound familiar?

Ben H

I fail to see the connection between arean and growth. We have a wonderful arena in Freedom Hall. Why build another arean to compete with it? Do we really have so many events clamoring to come to arenas in Louisville that we can justify having another one? I am thinking not.
While not spending the money won't necessarily put more police on the streets or feed the hungry, I can guarantee that building an arena will not do those things either.

I agree we should be building our police force,schools,........

quote:

Originally posted by American_Woman:
I agree we should be building our police force,schools,........

You all just don't get, do you??? The proposal is to issue $75 million in state bonds to finance the state's portion of this project. If the arena is not built, the bonds won't be issued and the money won't be spent. The schools won't have any extra funding and neither will the police. Most importantly, we will lose the chance to bring back to Jefferson County a few of those numerous dollars that we send to Frankfort each year.

As for Freedom Hall, ZOO, it is ancient and antiquated. It would be a nice sports complex for a small town like Vincennes, Indiana but it is embarrassingly small and outmoded for a city like Louisville, Kentucky. Its small size essentially bars using it for any concert of significant size. I can't understand why a city like Louisville is saddled down with this make-do attitude.

Rick Pitino has built a fine basketball team at the University of Louisville and it is an insult to him and his team that they have to play in such a pathetic setting. Rick deserves better and so does Louisville. Until Louisville gets over this good-enough attitude of ours, we will continue to be surpassed by cities that were once our size. Our collective lack of civic self-esteem is quite appalling.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: French Toast,

to quote myself...
"While not spending the money won't necessarily put more police on the streets or feed the hungry, I can guarantee that building an arena will not do those things either."

Regarding the size of Freedom Hall, I was not aware that it so regularly sold out for games, concerts etc.

And a question (I sincerely do not know the answer, not trying to be an a$$) but who pays for the bonds when issued?