I’ve been feeling a little frustrated as of late. Everyone seems to be on board with this new arena proposal and I can’t figure out why. I go to write a piece about it, and along comes Dave Cournoyer, outlining pretty much what I was thinking more eloquently than I could.

In short, he accuses the ONEdmonton Downtown Vibrancy Task Force and YES! for Edmonton of blind boosterism and laments the lack of hard evidence indicating that a downtown arena will bring the benefits the Katz group is claiming. I couldn’t agree more.

From Dave’s past postings, I feel that he ‘gets it’ as far as downtown revitalization is concerned. His articles on the recent successes in the core and future challenges should make it clear that revitalization is more than just a buzzword or bandaid that can be applied with the construction of a multimillion dollar megaproject.

Downtown Edmonton has become a much more interesting place to be the last five years or so. Jasper Ave isn’t completely dead anymore, there are a few places to buy groceries, the LRT actually goes somewhere, and new condos and apartments give people a place to call home.

None of these—aside from the LRT—were citywide news or required massive amounts of public dollars, yet each in its own way plays an important role in allowing downtown redevelopment and making it an interesting place that people want to live and work. Each is a thread in the fabric that makes a whole city, a whole downtown. Imagine how many alleys and other spaces we could reclaim with the millions the Katz group seeks.

The arena may be what downtown needs, or it may not. I believe, however, that it is certainly not the most sure-fire or efficient use of public funds.

Many people ask if downtown needs an arena. Nobody quite knows. What is certain is that a new arena needs downtown—it couldn’t be built anywhere else and succeed. So is the proposal what is best for Edmonton, or the new arena itself? The Katz Group has pledged $100m for the arena itself and $100m for the surrounding entertainment district. Were I investing that sum of money, I would be sure to make my bars and restaurants easier to access than the ones outside.

This is not to cry foul and declare there’s a conspiracy afoot. The Katz Group is just doing what developers do, and developers are the ones that front the money and ambition to make our city grow and thrive. I would say they’re a necessary evil, but the word evil is far too strong. They’re just necessary.

I caution city council to be aware of this and be vigilant. Katz is looking out for his interests, and council should be looking out for ours. Should a mutually beneficial deal be inked that allows all stakeholders—Oilers, city, and citizens—to benefit, then I’ll buy you a beer and we’ll watch a game from the cheap seats of this new arena.

So to city council I say this. Be sure there’s a benefit, a firm financial and cultural benefit, to the city. Be sure it’s well designed and well integrated into the surrounding area. Be sure the amount of money required won’t increase, or the proposal be scaled back. And in the name of all things decent, be sure that if it’s built, it’s designed to last a long time. Edmonton has grown a collective grey hair from this issue, I’d hate to see us have to do it all over again in another few decades.