Prisuta: Arena gamble - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

If everyone thinks that a new arena is needed for the region -- then whoever is doing the counting can't.

Prisuta: Arena gamble - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The news last week that the state will lend the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority $25 million to $30 million to begin securing land for an arena represented another significant and positive step toward the realization of a project everyone from Gov. Ed Rendell on down agrees is needed for the region.

Then the notion of a "Plan B to Plan B" confirms my hunch about the lack of counting skills from the writer, Mike. Give us a break. Plan B for Plan B is called Plan C. That is the third letter of the alphebet.

To hear that Rendell, Onorata and O'Connor are betting on anything is great irony as they are the ones who are bringing us legalized casinos. There are no bets, however, with HOCKEY -- unless you do it on the internet and that can't be stopped.

The grass isn't always greener -- even with a new arena when the upside is with such a downside.

To take the $290 M from Isle of Capri is one thing. But, then I want them, or some other private company to OWN and OPERATE the new arena. I don't wan them to build it and give it over to the public. KEEP IT. Furthermore, I want the OLD ARENA to say put. Don't tear down the existing building for the new one as 1 + 1 = 2 and that is a net gain. Meanwhile +1 - 1 = ZERO.

Disney on Ice, Carrick's HIGH SCHOOL Graduation and a high school basketball tournament, or even college hockey game, does NOT need sky boxes. They can be played in the existing venue.