Comments on: Farewell, Charlotte Coliseum

By: Claxton

Claxton — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:54:50 +0000

As the poster of this video clip, let me say this–the implosion of the second Charlotte Coliseum was set up at least seven years before ground was even broken on it. The politicians listened to the citizens, and what resulted was a facility that, as beautiful as it was, turned out to be the last of its type ever built in the United States. Adding insult to injury, many citizens mistakenly believed that the Coliseum was built specifically for the now-departed Hornets. It wasn’t, and I can prove it.

The bottom line is, the city botched things twice. It’s a shame, to be sure, but life goes on.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:49:43 +0000

GWR says:

“And who wants to deal with actual fans in the building? They’re supposed to buy the licensed merchandise and watch the games on TV, not despoil the arena with their actual presence.”

You got that right, Your Whiteness. And I’m perfectly happy to oblige by not being actually present at the arena, where I am surrounded by drunks, eardrum-splitting noise from the PA system, and people yapping into their cell phones to call their friends to say, “hey! I’m at Yankee Stadium! Jeter’s up.” (This to a guy who’s probably watching the game on TV and sees that Jeter is up.)

By: Steve Skubinna

Steve Skubinna — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:30:26 +0000

Yes, forest hunter, and to add insult to injury, after the Seattle City Council hosed the residents of King County with a sales tax assesment to build Paul Allen a new stadium, they then held a special vote for EMS.

Yeah, screw the money out of the taxpayers for a stadium, and then pass the hat for EMS funding. Lucky for them (and me) that I am not a resident of the Democratic People’s Republic of King County, or I would have been organizing the crowd with pitchforks and torches, tar and feathers, and a rail. If Seattle were not run by the gutless on behalf of the spineless, there’d have been a defenestration.

By: Great White Rat

Great White Rat — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:45:58 +0000

It’s the same thing nearly everywhere. The leagues and team owners have figured out that if their TV contracts and corporate sponsorships are big enough, they don’t need the average fan. The corporate sponsors don’t care whether the team wins or loses, since their luxury box or ticket purchases are just tax write-offs. That makes them less of a problem than the regular fan who wants both a winner and sensible ticket prices.

Look at the Nashville Predators. It’s a successful team in a great arena in a good downtown location. They team is being sold and the new owner wants to move them as soon as he can.

So what’s the problem?

The problem in Nashville is the majority of season-ticket holders are Joe Fan with little corporate support.

And who wants to deal with actual fans in the building? They’re supposed to buy the licensed merchandise and watch the games on TV, not despoil the arena with their actual presence.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:01:48 +0000

Same thing in NYC, too. The new Yankee Stadium will seat 52,000, compared with 57,000 in the old “Cathedral of Baseball,” as Yanks telecaster Michael Kay calls it.

The reason why? Yep–more luxury boxes.

By: forest hunter

forest hunter — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:08:00 +0000

Seattle………. not long ago, same story.

Another problem land owners have with non-land owners, is their single vote against a city full of lefty tax enthusiasts voting for things that in essence penalize land ownership and reward city dwellers renting apartments and condos.

Apart from the fact that most people who don’t live in the city, will likely never have cause to visit the unwanted and needless stadiums.

By: steveegg

steveegg — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:37:21 +0000

Damn, but that sounds familiar here in Milwaukee, though how we got to our arena situation is a bit different (I’m too tired to go through that litany, but our current major-sports arena was privately-built).

By: NC Cop

NC Cop — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:05:27 +0000

As much of a sports fan as I am, I am getting very tired of these things. These franchises and their players are pampered more than any person on earth and yet it is never enough.

By: Mwalimu Daudi

Mwalimu Daudi — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:37:58 +0000

Charlotte’s “old new” coliseum, built back in the late 80s and still beautiful when it was all but abandoned a little over ten years later, was imploded Sunday to make way for mixed use development (part business park, part residential).

In other words, it was an inside job. Bush was no doubt responsible (this happened on his watch). And no doubt that Ron Paul and the Truthers will be able to point to this as evidence that their views about 9/11 are correct.