Spitfires And The Dark Ages

I wondered if I should buy the Top Hat Club or maybe TBQ...They are both in some financial difficulty I believe. Then if I did, I thought I'd ask the City to build a massive new night-club for me or maybe a big, fancy restaurant on City property overlooking the Detroit skyline. After all, I want to capture the excitement generated by Super Bowl and build on the momentum caused by the opening of the Keg to help revitalize the downtown.

You think that is absurd. Not in Windsor it appears.

Did you read the front page story on Saturday on the new owners of the Spitfires and then the continuation on Page 5. A lot of coverage wasn't it? I was quite interested in reading about them and thought they were nice fellows. Until they moved from the sports arena to the political arena.

We are told that the three new owner/millionaires "have big dreams for Windsor's Junior A franchise....are rolling up their sleeves to turn their dreams into reality"

At the end of the second story on Page 5 they told us what WE, you and I, as taxpayers must do. We have to save them from themselves it appears, so they won't be "the most foolish business men in the world." We have to make them money on the $6 million they invested, "having just paid one of the highest prices ever for an OHL franchise:"

Sounds like DRTP asking for $150 million of taxpayer money to make them a fortune or who knows how much for their "enhanced" project!

Now I don't wish to be rude, but I don't remember being asked to be their partner. They did not ask for my advice before they moved forward. What makes them think that I want to be involved with them at all? Did you see anything in the story where they were going to offer taxpayers a bit of cash if they were successful?

The story told us that Dobrich has business smarts, Rychel is a relentless overachiever with skills as a top-flight judge of talent and Boughner is one of the sharpest minds in the NHLPA. With characteristics like these, what can we poor taxpayers offer them? The only thing it seems is a new arena at our expense, not theirs:

• "While most of these plans will be quickly achievable, the trio said the long-term future of the Spitfires revolves around the building of a new rink.
  
  Boughner said there's no hiding the fact that Windsor Arena is a burden in selling players on coming to Windsor.
  
  "They don't see the rest of the city," Boughner said. "It'll be hard to get to the next level in the existing arena."
  
  Rychel said the group got no assurances from city officials that a new rink would be built prior to their buying the Spitfires. He added having just paid one of the highest prices ever for an OHL franchise, the group also isn't in position to pour millions into the project.
  
  "We believe in this city, it's our hometown," Rychel said. "We've made a major investment in the team. Now, the city has to get behind it.
  
  "We need a new arena because we're in the Dark Ages here. We'd like to be dropping the puck in a new rink by September 2008.
  
  "If we didn't feel it would get done, and we're still in Windsor Arena 10 years from now, we're the most foolish business men in the world."
  
  

I am sorry, but I do not have to get behind anything. And I have some things that should be done by the autumn of 2008 too for the good of Windsor and building an arena is NOT one of the things high on my list.

It is not my fault if they paid too much and cannot afford to put money into a new arena. Perhaps they should have thought about that before. I am sorry if taxpayers have this foolish notion that we would rather put our tax money into matters more essential than ensuring they get a return on their investment. I am sorry if a refurbished Barn does not meet their expectations but may meet taxpayers' financial ones and will ensure that local arenas do not get closed down to give them a palace to "sell" some hockey player.

We are going to hear of every international event in the world and how Windsor/Detroit must be part of it to justify spending who knows how many millions on another "DREAM."

The long-term future of the Spits does not depend on a new arena. As Paul Godfrey of the Blue Jays said. "The best marketing tool is to have a winning ball club."

Who am I to be cynical but do you remember what happened to Skydome. It was built for around $600 million which was paid for by the Canadian federal government, Ontario provincial government, and a large consortium of corporations. Rogers Communications eventually bought it after it ran up huge debts for about $25 million, 1/24 the cost of construction.

Hey, maybe the three amigos are not so dumb after all. They might buy an almost-new arena for a couple of million dollars to take it off taxpayer hands a few years down the road!