First Arena

[Hal 341]

We pay for it but have no say in it … 

[JustAGuy 12]

21 hours ago, MsKreed said:

I wonder when we will hear whether the "New Team" Margeson mentioned will have any more actual community members than the above listed "Community" Advisory Board named in 2006 (heluva job they did, huh?).

From the the way he spoke of it, I'm sort of expecting the same....but fewer movers and shakers from this area.  Someone with connections to the Bills and Sabers was referenced, as well as an "entertainment" expert (maybe someone located Tadross?? LOL). 

I remember when they said the Jackals were going to become community owned. This idea was floated around in Johnstown to save the Johnstown Chiefs. It didn't happen but Elmira sold it but didn't do it that way. It became a board of 20 businessmen who either owned their business, were vice presidents at their companies or the president. How I know this? I was related to one. All these guys were, were buddies of the chamber of commerce(if not even directly involved)it was a bunch of people who had no business being involved with a hockey team outside of they were business people but it's not like they knew jack about hockey. I never asked about the parameters of how it functioned but I highly doubt these guys had to spend a dime of their own money on the operation. This was I think the last year of Freeman run tenureship. It seemed like a token to get on the good side of the community. 

[JustAGuy 12]

On 6/14/2023 at 8:20 AM, MsKreed said:

The public has been told that CCIDA is comprised of “smart” and “effective” and “capable” people.  In fact, they have been granted so much influence, that we should assume that the judgement and business acumen of those few individuals is superior to the entire rest of the county.....combined.  

We’ve also been told (by the brain trust mentioned above) that both Nichols/CAN-USA and Tadross-Donner/Mammoth were “smart” and “effective” and “capable” business people before the CCIDA entered into leases with them.

If that were true, then these tenants would have been aware of the condition of the Arena, the costs involved in rehabbing it to run successfully. Any “capable” businessperson understands startup and operating costs and does research to determine that projected revenue will cover those costs.

 

I’m not sure which business decision would be considered more foolish and incompetent.

A Tenant signing a lease without bothering to find out any details or cost projections on a multimillion dollar endeavor?

Or a Landlord actually believing that anyone could be successful at multimillion dollar endeavor....without bothering to find out any details or cost projections?

I think it's definitely more toward the latter. I think these guys knew I mean they went on TV on the news and said the place needed fixing. But I also feel like the county has never done Jack to make it possible. You gotta spend to make sure but it's not as if the IDA has lifted a finger. If you're gunna sell something or lease it, it should have functional equipment. They can't or won't even do this. People may be shady and crooks but I'm sure the IDA is the same. Every side is playing a game of chess, not good enough for the 3D version because the community can see right through it. 

I've always been curious where the hell the IDA got the money to buy the arena and how much they paid for it. It is a government agency so the details should be public, no? But who sold it to them? Did they get a sweetheart deal from Freeman as he exited the door? The fact he and Santulli were on that board speaks volumes as Santulli says the county had no interest in the arena business. Yet the agency responsible for county growth owns the place. The joint has to be millions in the negative. So why the county would want to own it is beyond me. But at the same time this is the only way they can own and benefit. If they had to pay the bills the charade would be over. I'm still not sure if Afr actually owned the building or not. I'm gunna have to suspect yes and when this whole saga went to court they somehow twisted something in their favor to make him give it up. If he was just the tenant it never would have gotten to the point it did. They would have just done what they did to Nichols and Donner. Of course the existence of the advisory board and Freeman being involved makes me wonder what this crusade was really all for. Why did the IDA not want to own the building and be involved from day one? Where was Freeman back in 1999 when they made this deal? So many questions linger. I just don't see any way that the IDA is on our side. As long as they don't have to spend a dime even if this place bleeds red annually they still profit if they find a suckered for a lease. Makes sense why they won't sell it and why they sabotaged the alleged arena deal back in 2017. 

[JustAGuy 12]

I wonder why they are being so hush hush about who this whole new operating team of the arena will actually be. I find it interesting that they already have a new head coach for the FHL team coming. The odd thing is the guy played here a few years ago. He was playing in Binghamton the last 2 years. They also hired an assistant coach. The guy played 11 games here last year. But allegedly this is a new operation coming in....but they somehow brought back guys who played here previously. 

WETM did a snippet on the 6pm news tonight of the sports section where they had the FHL commissioner talking. He claimed that this management group was going to be "awesome" and one of the best he's seen in his 40 years. 

Just weird to me all this stuff going on but the public is being given no info about who the party leasing the arena will actually be. This all smells fishy. 

The IDA can just do this but some silly petition going around regarding a playground park and a new travel center stop is being under reevaluation because of some push back. Granted, I think that is them just using cute terminology and they will just table it for some time then eventually do whatever they want anyway. It appears there is no real vote or public say on anything the IDA does anyway. When that project goes off they will probably sneakily already have broke ground before it becomes public knowledge anyway. 

[Chris 2,161]

On 6/16/2023 at 11:40 PM, JustAGuy said:

He claimed that this management group was going to be "awesome" and one of the best he's seen in his 40 years. 

Talk is cheap, but it takes money to buy whiskey.

[TTL News 308]

And the new hockey team will now be called:

[JustAGuy 12]

1 hour ago, Elmira Telegram said:

And the new hockey team will now be called:

 The logo is actually kinda cool. The name very fictional but hell why not. 

Funny how we have not heard who the new management team is going to be. But it looks like a CCIDA to CCIDA production with the league for some strange reason being involved. Hmm....did these bozos finally find a way to  create themselves a tax write off on this joint? 

[TTL News 308]

 

[JustAGuy 12]

6 minutes ago, Elmira Telegram said:

 

 Hmm interesting. A concert with no formal introduction of a management team running the facility. Who is funding this venture then?

[Chris 2,161]

25 minutes ago, JustAGuy said:

 The logo is actually kinda cool. The name very fictional but hell why not.

It could certainly be worse I suppose. 

13 minutes ago, JustAGuy said:

A concert with no formal introduction of a management team running the facility. Who is funding this venture then?

If I had to guess, it's something that was in place with a signed contract in advance. I wouldn't worry about funding though, Brit Floyd is an amazing act, VERY popular and should have no problem being a sell out show.

[JustAGuy 12]

4 hours ago, Chris said:

It could certainly be worse I suppose. 

If I had to guess, it's something that was in place with a signed contract in advance. I wouldn't worry about funding though, Brit Floyd is an amazing act, VERY popular and should have no problem being a sell out show.

 If marketed that will be interesting to see how that goes. Last go around it felt like nothing was marketed except at the introductory press conference the Jon Lovitz show was name dropped. To be honest I can't even recall I'd that show actually even occurred. It is already the middle of July though and if I did not see this post I would not have likely been aware lol. 

[JustAGuy 12]

So apparently the FPHL and the league commissioner are running this show. But a different management team will be responsible for non hockey related matters like other events and ticket sales and will be announced in the future.. The deal is one year with an option to renew. Strange.....strange. 

 

https://www.mytwintiers.com/williams-sportsdesk/fphl-reaches-new-deal-with-first-arena/?fbclid=IwAR2pmus2_tjv_7XV_Ga0V-fdp9hdhMpTkISeYwAw57E59FwYIBJdVA9ept4

[JustAGuy 12]

You can't make this stuff up. Straight from Margeson's lips to your ears. They think them controlling the economics is going to be a difference maker? This is just code that we found a way to make out on this place. They'll just use it as a tax write off. 

https://www.weny.com/story/49194420/chemung-county-ida-reaches-agreement-with-fphl-for-new-elmira-team-approves-management-team-to-operate-first-arena 

[LocalSportsGuy 43]

On 7/10/2023 at 4:14 PM, JustAGuy said:

 If marketed that will be interesting to see how that goes. Last go around it felt like nothing was marketed except at the introductory press conference the Jon Lovitz show was name dropped. To be honest I can't even recall I'd that show actually even occurred. 

It never happened. I routinely joked I was going to stand outside the arena holding a "Wheres Jon Lovitz?" sign 

[Chris 2,161]

[Chris 2,161]

Home opener is this weekend. Looks like tickets are in the range of $17.00 - $20.00. 

[Chris 2,161]

Here's the schedule:

 

[LocalSportsGuy 43]

I want this to work but man $18 for a corner ticket for lowest of the low hockey is ridiculous. I can go to cornell for top level division 1 hockey for $15. AHL in Rochester for about $20 bucks. It's just absurd and way too much. I rather go to the domes. At least that is fast paced and fun hockey.  

[Chris 2,161]

Yeah, and while tickets for kids under 12 are reduced price ( $4.90 ) it could get pretty expensive for the average family just to watch a game without factoring in concessions. 

[Chris 2,161]

No one seems to know anything the CCIDA is doing with this place. Anthony Pucci has some thoughts about that.

[Ann 263]

2 minutes ago, Chris said:

No one seems to know anything the CCIDA is doing with this place. Anthony Pucci has some thoughts about that.

I read his views and he makes excellent sense.  Executive Session is an extremely overused option and effectively keeps information from taxpayers.

[MsKreed 1,178]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

No one seems to know anything the CCIDA is doing with this place. Anthony Pucci has some thoughts about that.

I wonder if the illegally convened "Executive Session" was discussion about asking for another half a million in ARP funds.

The Agenda for tonight's Budget Committee meeting (HERE) vaguely notes "Resolution authorizing agreement with the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency on behalf of the Chemung County Executive".  

A little digging on the NovusAgenda page (HERE) reveals the contents of said "agreement":

FFS....we already quietly gave the IDA $875k for the Arena, they're secretly grubbing for more???

WTF are they thinking??? The Arena had the least support out of all the possible expenditures for the $16M ARP funds that the public was polled on in 2021:

 

[Chris 2,161]

And guess what? They’ll get that $500k, you wait and see.

[MsKreed 1,178]

10 minutes ago, Chris said:

And guess what? They’ll get that $500k, you wait and see.

If it passes the Budget vote tonight, it will go before the full legislature next Monday. 

Hopefully word will get out by then and we'll see some similar public comment as the IDA's plan for the Sperr Park Truck Plaza after Nick Dubina covered it.

🤞

[Hal 341]

45 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

And yet again CCIDA is beating those two dead horses at the bottom of the chart , with the Arena being the main money suck ! But they just can’t stand to see all those funds going to those other uses … or somewhere else ?!