Posted by The Chief on September 15, 2006 at 10:03:47 (EST):
In Reply to: Re: County posted by jim on September 13, 2006 at 20:43:53 (EST):
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: : : : We will get the heat off the fireman and put it on the commissioners- I see we put extra money in the Belmont when they had the fire to upgrade the facilities. Now I read that Butler County is building a new rink and our ice hockey teams probably will go there.Now we will be scrambling to find ways to replace that revenue.I see why people didn't want the county to own this facility, it is going to end up eating money and be in the red. It should be put on the market and let a private concern take it over.It is a good thing the commissioners aren't paid on job merit, good for them anyhow.
: : : **You were correct that the upgrades were needed, because of the fire taht destroyed the building.
: : : At the time the upgrades were made though, Butler County didn't plan to build an arena, so the upgrades were justified, being that the Belmont was the only game in town.
: : : I agree that the county could sell the facility and hopefully sell it to someone who can keep it going, but to criticize the commissioners for doing something that needed done and has served its purpose well, isn't maybe the right thing to do. Just my two cents!
: : At the time we needed a rebuild you are right. But go back further- why did the county ever purchase it? Have we made money or lost money on it, I would venture-lost. It served a purpose, but I have seen much nicer arenas.Why would the teams leave if the facilities are so good? I would say sell it before it becomes something that is too costly to run and something out of date.
: The county should never have purchased the ice rink. It bailed out the Montebell's and sucked cash out of the taxpayers.
I agree! The county had no business buying it. They had more important things to do like stopping the decay of Kittanning.