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Bowser wrote:Jamie and others who call.... someone please ask the following to Dan Onorato.
Mr. Onorato, will you pledge support to a casino plan prior to the April 18-19 meetings in Pittsburgh? If not, why?
fourtKNOX wrote:what station will this be on... radio wise... u thnk they would take a call from albany! haha
Stoosh wrote:Don't waste your time asking Onorato why he won't endorse a particular plan. There are too many details of these proposals that have not been made available to the public and he can come up with an easy, cop-out answer as to why he or O'Connor won't endorse a particular plan.
Onorato should be asked the following:
1. Over the last several years when discussion of a new arena for Pittsburgh came up, the Pens were told by both state and local officials that no money was available at either level to help fund a new arena. The Pens were told to explore private financing options, with a suggestion coming from Gov. Rendell himself that they submit a bid for the slots license. The Pens have killed both of those birds with one stone by partnering with IoC. So why now have both Rendell and Onorato mentioned over the last couple of months that local and state money IS in fact available and that the Pens should be looking into a "Plan B" that involves such public funding?
2. Forest City Enterprises recently contended that the new arena as proposed by IoC isn't necessarily "free", as the costs for clearing and preparing the land - $50-100 million by FCE's estimates - aren't accounted for and these costs would likely come out of the revenues the casino would bring in. But if taxpayers have to be saddled with any of these arena costs, doesn't it make more sense to limit it to the site prep costs NOW (which is what the IoC plan would do) as opposed to site prep AND arena costs five or ten years down the road?
3. When he was a guest on Stan's show in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, Onorato himself contended that the arena under IoC's plan wouldn't be "free" to the city. He didn't elaborate much further on this contention other than to state something about the city not seeing as much revenue from the arena under the IoC plan as it would if an arena would be built by public money. He vaguely alluded that some of these revenues would instead go to either the Pens or the Isle of Capri. But it was my understanding that the lease on the arena would be turned over after its construction to the Sports & Exhibition Authority. Someone needs to ask him to clarify this.
Stoosh wrote:Anyone have Savran's email address? I'm going to email those questions that I types above to him and ask him to address them with Onorato.
Stoosh wrote:Anyone have Savran's email address? I'm going to email those questions that I types above to him and ask him to address them with Onorato.
passmaster16 wrote:
And we know what his answer will be. Just as he said on Marty Griffin's show, he will say that it is irresponsible for him to make a decision until the board can look over all the plans.
dboss wrote:I like how Onorato won't say that he wants whoever wins the license to FULLY fund the arena. He keeps saying he wants the winner 'to be a part of funding a new arena.' Freakin' scumbag. Fix is in.
Bowser wrote:can someone please record these interviews and post a transcript. I'll be away from a computer or radio until later tonight. I need it for a report.
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