There’s something about the public funding of arenas, stadiums and other significant venues that seems just plain wrong, considering that private enterprise is often among the principle beneficiaries of these facilities.
It is, in some cases, no different than erecting a building for any commercial operation and justifying it by saying the business it generates will echo throughout the community.
That said, there is nothing wrong with taking a look at an idea, which is what the Worcester County Commissioners voted to do this week with the sports complex proposed by Hat Trick Consultants of Texas.
Theoretically, the complex would be home base for a minor league hockey team as well as some other small market sports franchise and would provide for a variety of indoor sports activities for area residents.
Although the county commissioners have stated that they have no intention of going into the stadium business, which they couldn’t do anyway given the facilities’ estimated cost of $40 million to $50 million, they will be contributing $15,000 to $75,000 to a study to determine whether the idea has any merit.
Considering the scope of the project, spending $15,000 to find out whether it will work is worth it, especially since the county’s economy is largely dependent on warm weather tourism and agriculture with little else between.
Sure, the whole idea may seem a little too much to embrace, but no one is asking for a commitment or an endorsement. All the commissioners agreed to do was to pay a small amount to determine whether this is a possibility worth considering.
Obviously, they need more information before agreeing to anything and the cost of getting that information is minimal.