Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/4/2010 (3830 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

So let's get this straight: The province "lends" $90 million to one of the city's wealthiest football fans to build a new stadium for the Bombers -- with the fall-back plan essentially being the citizens pick up the tab -- and there's no white noise of outrage?

Did I click my heels or something? Is this Kansas?

WAYNE.GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES David Asper and Greg Selinger (right) have mostly avoided stadium vitriol.

Because it can't be Winnipeg, where historically just the hint that government money could be used to erect sports facilities was guaranteed to rouse the troops to action. Editorials are written. Protests are organized. Indignation is dutifully expressed.

I mean, doesn't anybody remember the ballpark? Not only should a penny of taxpayer money never been given to help Sam Katz build his diamond, but especially on that treasure of an empty lot that activists would have you believe was just this side of Eden.

Heck, all Mark Chipman got was a lousy $13 million each from the province and the feds for his $120-plus-million hockey rink -- which was paid back in taxes generated by construction before the doors on the MTS Centre were opened -- and all he had to do to get it built was fight a case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

And remember that time when Conservative Leader Hugh McFadyen floated an election promise -- complete with Thomas Steen in the flesh -- to bring back the NHL? Of course, McFadyen didn't utter a word about money. After all, the subject of taxes subsidizing NHL teams/buildings/players was long ago proved to be political suicide in these parts. Still, that vague and ill-conceived press conference was viewed as McFadyen's "Jump the Shark" moment of the 2007 campaign.

Outraged Guy: "Did McFayden just say he was going to use tax money to bring back the Jets? Or was it Thomas Steen? Doesn't matter. Seize them both!"

So what happened? It boggles the mind to wonder what might have occurred at the turn of the century if a provincial leader would have "loaned" Chipman $90 million to build an arena. If you loan me and my cat $90 million we could build the Bombers a new stadium, too. OK, maybe it wouldn't have all the bells and whistles, but it would have goalposts and everything. It's just that, you know, we're not sure we would be able to pay it all back. The cat is a bit of a deadbeat.

Look, this is not an argument against the deal. The Bombers were going to have to replace the 50-plus-year-old fossil of a stadium they currently occupy sooner than later and the prospect of sinking tens of millions (although I don't necessarily buy that $52-million figure Premier Greg Selinger was conveniently throwing around) into the existing money pit was probably the most convincing rationalization for a new building.

Besides, here's a little secret. Football stadiums are a lot more like bridges than ballparks and hockey rinks. They are infrastructure. And if government money isn't used to either build them or maintain them they don't get built or fall to the ground.

So maybe after years of bickering over issues involving taxpayer money and sports facilities, the vast majority of Winnipeg residents are suffering from outrage fatigue. Maybe the level-headed among us can look at the construction of the ballpark and hockey rink and say, "Sure, taxpayers' money was used, but look at the results."

After all, enough folks have spent a summer day munching on a hotdog and watching the Goldeyes -- even though they pay for the privilege -- to realize a return on their investment. And enough Winnipeggers have forked over their paycheques for a Simon and Garfunkel concert (Ack!) to reasonably conclude that building the arena can no longer be portrayed as Darth Vader's attempted construction of the Death Star.

So maybe David Asper's retail component doesn't work, which is a distinct possibility. What's the worst that can happen? The city gets a brand-new stadium to last at least another two or three generations, the future of the Bombers is secure and the community as a whole picks up the tab.

Yes, that's correct. The new stadium could be largely funded by the taxpayer. You and me.

Where's the outrage? Probably exactly where it belongs in a city where railing against the spending of public dollars on sports facilities was once heard and hear! hear'd! by a receptive and disgruntled constituency.

No more, clearly. Times and attitudes have changed. If they hadn't, Premier Selinger would be fighting for his public life now. In fact, he would have ran away from Asper as if he was on fire, much less stand with him at a press conference to proudly make the generous announcement.

And if you think I'm a little bewildered, what must McFadyen been thinking, other than, "What the hell?"

Or perhaps the Conservative leader just shrugged, turned to his assistant, and said, "Get me Thomas Steen on the phone."

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca