[Engibeer]

Originally Posted by Horsell

According to another article in the Telegram over the weekend there appears to be some thought within SJSE that it is better to have an empty building because they seem to lose money every time they open the doors. Sad.

Probably this one with comments from SJSE CEO Sheena McCrate which references comments she had made in a NB newspaper.

Now, much of what’s attributed to McCrate was paraphrased and the full interview with her is not available, but the story leaves the impression McCrate believes “anchor” tenants can be problematic.

Here are excerpts from the story in The Telegraph Journal.

(McCrate says) that ‘home run’ events buoy facility costs in a way sport teams don’t. The trouble is, she said, “There’s this political position where we didn’t build this for two Bryan Adams concerts in July.”

McCrate said arenas like Mile One and Harbour Station were built as multi-purpose facilities, but are run as hockey rinks.
“We deal with that every year,” she said, noting that ice rentals make more financial sense, but are limited because the ice time is eaten up by the “anchor tenant.”

“It’s a delicate balance of operating a professional sports team that comes with certain entitlement and privilege, and we don’t really live up to being a multi-use public facility.”

Still, McCrate wonders if the desire for hockey is waning, given the ready access to a whole world of sport now available from your home. She suggested arenas like Mile One and Harbour Station tend to be operated by male hockey fans. Adding diversity into the mix would be “immeasurable,” she said.