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Message: [QUOTE="JFC613, post: 2564943, member: 4234"] Glad you made the mile trek and had a good time! The upgrades they made to the area a few years back were great. The open bar area, some upgrades to the concessions and brightening up the lobby helped. The new metal detectors are a huge improvement entering the main entrance. But, as I’m sure you’ve read and can readily see, the arena is aging quickly and in bad need of a major refurbishment or total rebuild. I read today that the govenator wants $100M approved to begin some work. I recall that the entire cost estimate to refurbish is $250M. Tough decision under our budget problems. They are also going to be soliciting bids to sell the arena to a private company. I would love to see a new arena, but it’s so hard to see where the money can come from and how the investment will pay for itself? I recall reading that even with investing $250M in arena the new facility will only earn a profit of $3M a year (it loses money right now). So, it’s a tough dilemma. Can a private firm do more with the arena to generate more profit? Also, people need to support not only the arena, but the city business as a whole to make a new arena work. Will they? When we have all the games on TV, a 60” alternative at home, zero traffic, no parking woes or bad weather to deal with it’s a tough challenge. But, we’ve had great attendance to games played at the right times on weekends, so maybe there’s some hope? [/QUOTE]