Taxpayers Cover $34 Million Arena Renovation, Hockey Team Leaves Two Years Later

[KamaAina]

http://deadspin.com/taxpayers-cover-34-million-arena-renovation-hockey-te-1775140156

The AHL’s Portland (Maine) Pirates, affiliates of the Florida Panthers, will be sold and move to Springfield, Mass., effectively immediately upon the AHL’s and Panthers’ approval.

It was a good 23-year-run in Portland, lotta good memories. And sure, it might’ve been nice to inform the city of Portland, or the Pirates players themselves. But money’s money, and the Springfield investors are eager to replace their own former AHL franchise, which is departing for Tucson, Ariz., this summer.

Let’s say this again for the umpteenth time: Don’t use taxpayer money on sports arenas. Cumberland County residents are still paying off $34 million in bonds that covered renovations to the Cross Insurance Arena, which was part of the agreement to get the Pirates to sign a five-year lease. That lease was signed in 2014.

Now, two seasons later, the arena is without an anchor tenant, and per the agreement, the county was and remains on the hook for the building’s annual operating losses. It lost $600,000 last year, even with a hockey team.

Well, at least Tucson's interminable hockey drought is over.

[Brother Buzz]

1. Portland, Me. needs to do what Portland, Or. did and find the Bing Russell of hockey.....

and go 'Maverick'.

[bluedigger]

2. The only AHL team with worse attendance figures than Portland?

Springfield.