Baltimore builds Arena to Nowhere.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-arena0724,0,1841047.story

OK, so most, or some, of you know that the city is going to tear down 1st Mariner Arena in 2010 and build a new one on the sight. But they have no commitment from anyone to use it.
They would like to lure a NBA/NHL team to the arena but isn't this area saturated enough in sports?
Can Baltimore even afford an NBA team? An NHL team? I'd love to see it but don't think it will happen.

But they're gonna have their stadium. Yes sir-ee.

From the Sun:.." Previous state policy called for attracting a franchise before building a sports venue, but city officials said this project would thrive even without a team."

Do you hear the great sucking sound?


Oh but it gets better. Ever hear of the Maryland Stadium Authority?

This coincides with a report I read on city development and Baltimore. Dudes on the board of the MSA have been known to buy up run down railway land or warehouse land and then suggest that the new stadium be built near this old warehouse near the railway.
Then their construction firm gets a contract to rehab the warehouse around the new stadium.

Enough of the pancake pontificating. Back to...oh, where was I?


Oh yes! MSA and $$ and the great sucking sound of publicly funded/privately profitable.
The legend of the upper tier, puppeteer untouchable. (I didn't pen that. )

..."It is impossible to build a building of that size that is privately financed. The state and city have to pick it up," said John Moag, a former chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority who now runs a company that provides consulting to sports leagues and teams."

The sucking continues. As stated above, it's impossible to stop. (If I'm going to get rich than it's impossible for this deal to stop).

I guess I won't be griping, though, when I'm watching WWE Smackdown in a new badass arena. But I'll bitch about it's birth to who ever will listen. Maybe I'll take a sign that reads "RIP 1st Mariner". Or whatever.