Tell the full cost of proposed arena

Gary Knox wrote in his recent guest column for The Sun that with the rising cost of gas the proposed arena might after all be a good idea since Yuma residents would not have to drive so far for entertainment.
 
When this plan was presented to the Yuma City Council, it was stated that Yuma alone could not support an arena. But as there was no comparable facility near Yuma, we could draw on all of those people living for miles around to attend events here.
 
It has been proposed that the event center be paid for from sales tax collected in the entertainment district to be set up, where investors will build motels, restaurants and shops to serve those people driving miles and miles across open desert to get here.
 
How many people from Dateland or Gila Bend would be likely to spend the money for gas and a ticket and food and a motel to come to Yuma to see an ice hockey game? Or arena football? Or even a concert?

The problem is not only the cost of gas, but all of the other necessities which are increasing in price because of the still-rising fuel costs, in particular food. We are in a recession, and no one knows how far it will go, or how long it will last. Some economists are not ruling out a depression. Jobs are being cut back and eliminated.
 
In this situation, entertainment is not very high on a person’s priority list, whether from miles around or Yuma proper. In this economic climate, are investors likely to finance those hotels, etc., in the entertainment district? Without those sales taxes, the arena will be paid for out of the general fund.
 
Also, among those expected to attend events are the winter visitors. The number of these people coming to Yuma will undoubtedly begin to decline as the economy worsens. Many are on fixed incomes, dependent on investments and interest income, or pensions and Social Security, none of which are keeping up with rising prices.
 
If the city council is serious about going ahead with negotiations with Global Entertainment so that people will know what they are voting for, they should also be honest about the actual cost of the arena.
 
In addition to the estimated $53 million to build it, there will be many millions of dollars more in interest payments. Tell the voters exactly how much of a financial responsibility for the next 30 years they will be voting for if they vote for this boondoggle.


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MARY JANE SPEELMAN
Yuma