NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s comments about the need for a new downtown Edmonton arena may have been correct, but they didn’t play well with city political leaders.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s comments about the need for a new downtown Edmonton arena may have been correct, but they didn’t play well with city political leaders.
In a visit to Edmonton, Bettman declared Rexall Place an outdated facility — which it is — and then expressed support for a new downtown arena, a goal for the team and many fans. He added the caveat that any new arena would need significant public funding.
The issue is who would pay for it, and critics of any tax funds for a new hockey facility came out of the woodwork to take Bettman to task, saying that if the NHL wants a new arena, the NHL can pay for it. Other councillors argued that neighborhood rinks were a higher priority than a new Oilers arena.
Mayor Stephen Mandel, an arena advocate, says he’ll present an arena plan in the coming year, one that won’t involve the use of property taxes.
