Ahhh Pete...you might have to eat your words about the Orlando Magic.

[disneym2m]

The title says it all. I guess we will see what happens in the next basketball series of games.

 

[challer]

Title or not, I think Pete's main point still stands:

Should tourism tax dollars be spent on a new arena that doesn't draw tourists to the Orlando area?

A title won't change that.

 

[Code]

Agreeing with challer... a one-title team doesn't draw tourists. Maybe a dynasty team with a superstar player or two would, but neither of those are likely conditions.

 

[wilde_oscar]

Title or not, I think Pete's main point still stands:

Should tourism tax dollars be spent on a new arena that doesn't draw tourists to the Orlando area?

A title won't change that.

Isn't the stadium being paid for with municipal bonds?

 

[firemanx]

The magic still will struggle to draw crowds next year, and each following year. Nobody goes to Orlando to watch the Magic. Waste of tourist dollars. Money should be spent on better highways, light rail, or infrastructure.

 

[wilde_oscar]

No really, tourist dollars are not being spent on the stadium...it was funded with municipal bonds. So investors bought the bonds, then the proceeds from the stadium repay the investors. No tourism dollars are being used. a couple google searches and you find the articles in the orlando news papers.

 

[DisneyKevin]

But the money could be so much better spent elsewhere.

A new stadium is a luxury when other things are necessary.

Our education system is horrible. We are ranked something like 48th out of 50.

We could use another highway. I 4 is over used and crowded.

There are many, many things that would benefit Orlando more than a new stadium....no matter where the dollars come from.

 

[Code]

No really, tourist dollars are not being spent on the stadium...it was funded with municipal bonds. So investors bought the bonds, then the proceeds from the stadium repay the investors. No tourism dollars are being used. a couple google searches and you find the articles in the orlando news papers.

OK I googled it... read number 7 of the Design Information FAQ of the official Orlando Events Center site:

7. What is the Tourist Development Tax and what can it be used for?

The Tourist Development Tax (TDT) is a tax on short-term rentals of 6 months or less, which primarily encompasses hotels and timeshares. By State law, the TDT is limited to the promotion of tourism, construction of the convention center, and the construction of sports and arts and cultural facilities. The tax cannot be used for other purposes, such as education or transportation.

On July 18, 2006 the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a one percent increase, raising the TDT to six percent, and dedicated half of the new money raised from the additional one percent towards the potential construction of a new Events Center. The other half of the money raised from the one percent increase will be used to promote and market the Central Florida tourism industry.

 

[DisneyKevin]

and what two things did I mention as being needed?????

Education and Transportation.

Let's not use the money for something needed.....that would be silly.

 

[WaltD4Me]

But the money could be so much better spent elsewhere.

A new stadium is a luxury when other things are necessary.

Our education system is horrible. We are ranked something like 48th out of 50.

We could use another highway. I 4 is over used and crowded.

There are many, many things that would benefit Orlando more than a new stadium....no matter where the dollars come from.

Please, you can beat this drum until your fingers fall off, but I'm from Cleveland, well a suburb of it thankfully and I know these things are low priorities. We got a new baseball stadium and football stadium and believe me we needed the same things just as badly.

 

[miss missy]

and what two things did I mention as being needed?????

Education and Transportation.

Let's not use the money for something needed.....that would be silly.

and the people who came up with this stupid idea, need an EDUCATION man!! it's the people who can't se past their nose...

 

[disneym2m]

Ok...this wasn't meant to get people all upset. Pete was talking about how bad the Orlando Magic was, and I just happened to catch the end of the basketball game last night and they beat the Celtics. I was just pointing out that the Magic may not be a bad basketball team.

I know the stadium is being built using money that should be used else where. It happens every where. I know I used to work in a school system. I was just joking on Pete that he was talking about how bad they are, but they beat the Celtics and now are about to play the Cavaliers.

Sorry I wasn't trying to get all political or anything. It was just for fun........

 

[Hallowishes]

for me, it didnt matter if orlando or boston won ... as long as the series went 7 games and they were physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted My Cleveland Cavaliers are going to crush them in the next round!!!

 

[disneym2m]

for me, it didnt matter if orlando or boston won ... as long as the series went 7 games and they were physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted My Cleveland Cavaliers are going to crush them in the next round!!!

Sounds good. Since my Celtics lost. I hope the Cavaliers do win...in this case....

 

[wilde_oscar]

"The tax cannot be used for other purposes, such as education or transportation."

So when was the time to make your voice heard on the matter? The decisions were made a long time ago. The TDT was used to back bonds to finance construction. Stadiums do not pop up over night, this has been years in the making.

 

[catycatcat4]

Oh goodness not this again!

 

[Chairman Clench]

I don't think Pete said anything about how good the team was or will do this season, but one point made was that the majority of people in the Orlando area don't care about the team. While it isn't like the New York teams by any stretch, it does seem that a lot of people are interested right now.

Note: I would post the link but because I'm new to the board, I can't yet post links, but here is a post from the Orlando Sentinel


Magic, Celtics overwhelm 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Survivor'


Central Florida was most interested in the Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics game last night on TNT. The seventh game in that playoff series, which the Magic won, scored a 16.0 household rating in this television market. In Boston, the game did a 16.1 rating from 8 to 10:45 p.m.

We'll have national ratings later today.

The Magic overwhelmed the competition. The highest-rated series locally on broadcast television was ABC's "Desperate Housewives," which posted an 8.55 household rating. The "Survivor" finale on CBS earned a 7.50 rating.

The Magic also outpaced "60 Minutes," which aired before the game and did a 7.83 household rating locally.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

And then the national ratings were released:


The Orlando Magic's victory over the Boston Celtics last night was huge -- so huge the game set records.

TNT said it was "the most-watched second-round NBA Playoff game in cable television history" in several ways.

The game had the most households (5.9 million) and viewers (8.4 million) and set records in key adult and male demos.

TNT said the games' 5.2 national household rating is the highest-rated game so far in the 2009 playoffs on cable or broadcast.


This all comes from the TV blog on the Sentinel webpage

Anyways, this does nothing to prove or disprove anyone's main points, but this does prove that there is interest in the team locally.

 

[CDolacki2003]

All I gotta say is GO CAVS

 

[Chairman Clench]

All I gotta say is GO CAVS

Should be a great series. A lot closer than the experts are saying.

 

[Jitzy]

Do you guys mean that I shouldn't ask Pete to go down and pick us up some tickets?

Seriously, last night after they won, the first thing I thought of was Pete's rant.