New arena cost could top 80 million dollars...

As I read the title linked Toledo Blade article, several things made me wonder...

Back on March 15th in the Toledo Blade:

Under the contract, the initial project budget is estimated at $80 million, a number Mr. Gerken called a "placeholder" that likely will be more than is needed.

Today Mr. Gerken is quoted as saying:

"I think it's close to that [$82 million] area," he said. "I prefer to have a number that starts with a 7 than an 8, but we don't want a phony number, and we want the community to discuss what that is. We could have a $60 million price tag that doesn't include x and y."

On February 22nd from the Toledo Blade:

Initial estimates have put the cost of the project at $50 million to $70 million. Mr. Chema said last month the figure would be closer to $50 million.

January 10th, Toledo Blade:

He (Chema) said he thought the cost would be closer to $50 million, and said there would be administrative savings by pairing the facility with the convention center. Putting the arena elsewhere would result in two publicly owned spaces competing against each other, which Mr. Chema said would not make sense.

"Having a connection into the convention center will solve a lot of issues," he said. "You also are grouping similar kinds of entertainment facilities together and that would stimulate economic development, as it has in other communities, such as in Cleveland."

I think we have established that from January until July the estimated price has now gone up to build the arena. I'm not exactly sure why since I don't believe construction costs have jumped that much in 6 months but I do agree with a comment Bob McCloskey made back on January 10th:

"I've argued this, and I'm tired. It ends up like a pissing match, and it makes [us] sound like a bunch of adolescents to argue location. It's [about] what's practical," he said. "It's time to move on, let's get the thing built, because the [construction] numbers keep rising, and it's never going to get cheaper."

So there we have it, the new arena will most likely cost well over 80 million dollars. Personally I think something like that should be approved by the voters but that is not a requirement. The Lucas County Commissioners have the authority to sell bonds. We also know that when the stadium for the Mud Hens came up before the voters they defeated the measure, 59.3 per cent to 40.7 per cent.

Putting it in perspective - it was stated in 1996 that a new arena for the Mud Hens would cost 15 million dollars then a month later it was stated as costing probably 20 million dollars. In 1997, the cost was stated as anywhere from $29.3 million to $33.7 million. In 2001, cost between $37 million and $39 million was the estimate.

Then on May 10, 2001 in the Toledo Blade:

The total cost of the stadium project was set yesterday at $39,225,000. The figure includes land acquisition; design and engineering fees; fees paid to Mr. Chema's firm, Gateway Consultants Group of Cleveland, and construction costs.

Mr. Chema said the stadium's guaranteed construction cost, which Lathrop must meet, is $31,298,710.

It seems as if the new arena project will cost more than double what was paid for Fifth Third Field. It could possibly cost three times as much. That doesn't necessarily mean that the County won't get state assistance to help build a new arena. While I'm not an anti-arena person, these numbers do make me pause and wonder if I really agree with the concept of this large of a project being done without an okay of the taxpayers...