Same situation at the ACC every time there is a game or a concert, at the Rogers Centre when there are other events beside baseball, at BMO field ... it's hardly just the Jays.
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Rail Deck Park (?, ?, ?)
- Thread starter DSC
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pstogios
Senior Member
Then there should be special levies for each sports team dedicated to local area road and transit improvements. The teams profit on the rest of our transportation frustration.
Every concert, every special event, every parade .... there are many reasons for traffic congestion in the area beyond sports teams or even just the Rogers Centre. When you choose to live in the area, you adapt. Myself and many people I know download the ACC and Rogers events calendars so we know when traffic is likely to be an issue.
crs1026
Superstar
The levies should come from within existing ticket and beer sales revenues. We are already being gouged. At least some of that money should go to support the city.
- Paul
- Paul
TJ O'Pootertoot
Senior Member
Used to be that Rogers Centre was basically in the middle of nowhere but it was always planned it would one day be surrounded by a neighbourhood. Now that's happened.
I think it's great, especially compared to American stadiums that are typically in the suburbs and surrounded by acres and acres of parking. I'm not sure how having a major downtown destination that attracts 10s of 1000s of people "ruins" accessibility or how it's a bad thing. It's merely something that requires management, particularly if there is a proposed new development, new infrastructure etc.
The idea that Rogers (or the ACC or, I dunno, the Ex or the Toronto Zoo or whatever) should pay an extra fee because people come to them, over and above the property taxes and other levies they pay, strikes me as fairly absurd. Should we give failing destinations (like, I dunno, the Chapters that used to be at Scotiabank) a municipal handout to make up for the fact no one goes to them? Is this how cities function in the 21st Century?
(And that's leaving out the businesses, especially along Bremner and Front, who rely on those crowds for their very existence. How many people go down to the Amsterdam Brewhouse or grab a falafel before or after the game, who would not otherwise be there?) The idea of punishing businesses that bring crowds to downtown is...interesting to me.)
I think it's great, especially compared to American stadiums that are typically in the suburbs and surrounded by acres and acres of parking. I'm not sure how having a major downtown destination that attracts 10s of 1000s of people "ruins" accessibility or how it's a bad thing. It's merely something that requires management, particularly if there is a proposed new development, new infrastructure etc.
The idea that Rogers (or the ACC or, I dunno, the Ex or the Toronto Zoo or whatever) should pay an extra fee because people come to them, over and above the property taxes and other levies they pay, strikes me as fairly absurd. Should we give failing destinations (like, I dunno, the Chapters that used to be at Scotiabank) a municipal handout to make up for the fact no one goes to them? Is this how cities function in the 21st Century?
(And that's leaving out the businesses, especially along Bremner and Front, who rely on those crowds for their very existence. How many people go down to the Amsterdam Brewhouse or grab a falafel before or after the game, who would not otherwise be there?) The idea of punishing businesses that bring crowds to downtown is...interesting to me.)
kotsy
Senior Member
Agreed. If anything, RC, ACC etc should be rewarded because they are a destination and any time they draw large crowds, many businesses (restaurants entertainment etc) are affected positively.
Avenue
Active Member
Yes. We definitely need to give large corporations even more subsidies and tax breaks.
Your post is a one "taxation is theft anyway" from it.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
In hindsight, locating ACC and Skydome downtown walking distance from Union Station is probably one of the smartest planning decisions made in this city - but execution could have been better.
Instead of demanding Rogers help pay for it - make the case for them to put money forward instead, esp. as part of whatever plans they have for the stadium. They will be one of the beneficiary of improved access and landscaping as part of this project.
AoD
Instead of demanding Rogers help pay for it - make the case for them to put money forward instead, esp. as part of whatever plans they have for the stadium. They will be one of the beneficiary of improved access and landscaping as part of this project.
AoD
As a Jays fan and with a Leafs fan in the house, we chose where to live downtown because both facilities were so close. The associated traffic and crowds comes with the deal.
ADRM
Senior Member
Anyone who legitimately expects to be able to effortlessly drive their car around event centres directly before or after major events is most likely some combination of:
1) An Etobicoke city councillor who hates cities;
2) A Torontonian who should probably move to some godforsaken pseudo-failed American city with sports stadia in the middle of nowhere; and/or
3) An idiot
Regardless of whichever combination of those things is true, none of those people should be catered to, and Rogers/MLSE/any destination-making entity in the city most certainly needn't apologize to any of them.
The environment around the Rogers Centre at 1pm on a summer Saturday gameday is one of my favourites in the city. The place is alive, abuzz, and busy like a city should be.
crs1026
Superstar
TJ O'Pootertoot
Senior Member
If there's a petition to move the statue of Ted to Raildeck Park (even under the decking!) I think there'd be a lot of support. But, yeah, Rogers Centre was planned long before the ACC and it's easy to forget all the huge drama that went on when the Raptors were planning their arena and then the Leafs started doing it separately and eventually they made nice. And it's amazing to go down there now and remember that just a few years ago that the ACC and stadium were basically isolated. Now you can walk along a vibrant street tying the two together and a southcore neighbourhood exploding all around them both.
This is all good stuff. I hope that Rogers would find some way to chip in but the idea that there should be some kind of levy forced upon them, as if their mere presence is a burden is just really nutty thinkging.
ShonTron
Moderator
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Detroit is in an enviable position now, having all four major pro teams play within a short walk from each other, all located downtown - yeah, you still have huge surface parking lots where once grand buildings stood, but at least those lots will be used much more often and don't duplicate each other. It also makes it easier to attract bars and restaurants when you are guaranteed 171 regular home games a year, plus arena concerts, plus playoffs and exhibition games.
I don't like how much sports venues are subsidized by governments, but if you have to do it, Detroit is the way to go.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
Detroit has moved quite a bit of its event parking into structured parking in the last few years in preparation of development of the lots in the area. Detroit is at the beginning of a revival.. It'll get far better than it is today. The difference between downtown today and in 2007 is already night and day. Now if that new investment can just spread to the rest of the city.. They could use a highway-deck park over I-75, too.