Rant: No Outdoor Syracuse Crunch Game

The Onondaga County Legislature is a bunch of morons (most of them, not all of them) for killing the idea of an outdoor AHL game at Syracuse’s Alliance Bank Stadium.  There are so many reasons why these people were just plain stupid in their actions, I don’t even know where to begin.

If you’re not familiar with the story and you were too lazy to click the link above, basically, Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon pitched the idea to Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney awhile back.  According to Dolgon this morning on WSYR radio (audio), Mahoney had one of her top people research the costs of renting a portable ice rink and all the other equipment they’d need.  

At the end of the process, Mahoney suggested the county could chip in $350,000 toward the game, and the team would have to come up with the rest.

Well, that’s all fine and dandy, except for the fact the bumbling pack of morons on the legislature would have to vote on the proposal first.  They voted yes — but to only $75,000 instead of $350,000.  That’s like being told, “I want you to have a new car.  Here’s $500.”  Sure, it’s better than nothing, but it still might as well be nothing.

Reasons why the legislature was dumb to not approve the entire $350,000:

1. It wouldn’t affect property taxes!  The money was supposed to come from the county’s “Room Occupancy Tax,” which is paid by out-of-towners who get hotel rooms.  So even on the rare chance the game is a bust, it wouldn’t jeopardize any “critical” services, nor would it cause property taxes or any other taxes to go up.
2. Room Occupancy Tax money is specifically intended to be used on events that would draw tourism to the county.  This event qualifies for that money 100%.  How can there be any doubt?  An outdoor hockey game would definitely draw people from all over the region, and very likely some parts of Canada.  I’d probably be willing to drive 2 or maybe 3 hours to see the game.
3. If Syracuse doesn’t do this, someone else will.  And once someone else does, we’ll see what a great success it was.  But by then, it’ll be too late for Syracuse to do their own because it won’t be as special.  I could be paying sales taxes to Onondaga County on my tickets, on dinner before the game, maybe on gas if I need to top off the tank while I’m in Syracuse.  But if the game winds up going elsewhere, I’ll be paying my sales taxes in a different county for dinner, tickets, gas, and maybe even some other county’s room occupancy tax if the game is far away and I decide I’d rather stay the night instead of driving home after.
4. The legislature already kicked the Crunch in the teeth once by refusing to set aside funding for the Crunch to get the new scoreboard it was promised in its current lease of the War Memorial.  The building is tiny, it’s old and outdated, some of the seats have duct tape holding them together.  At first, I was quick to dismiss the need for a new scoreboard, but considering the chances for a brand new arena are nil, the scoreboard is the least the county can do.  
5. If the county keeps slapping the Crunch around, there will be plenty of other cities more than happy to lure the Crunch away… with a new(er) arena, a new(er) scoreboard and lots of other bells and whistles.  Then the Onondaga County Legislature can explain why all the jobs involving players, coaches, PR/sales people, food vendors, ushers, ticket sellers, etc. are gone.  Oh yeah, and the sales taxes on all those tickets, drinks, snacks, jerseys, and so forth.  The War Memorial is packed, or close to it, for every game.  You won’t get another AHL team if the Crunch leave, and any other indoor winter sport will be a spectacular failure (see also: Syracuse Raging Bullz).

What makes this story even sadder, is that Howard Dolgon is now talking to Syracuse University about having a hockey game in the Carrier Dome.  What is the point?  Seriously?  The draw of the outdoor game at Alliance Bank Stadium is the fact it would be OUTSIDE.  What the hell is so special about hockey in the Carrier Dome?  It’s a sports arena!

Sure, it’s a lot bigger than the War Memorial, but it’s still indoors.  No need to bundle up for the game, no chance of seeing a snowfall during the game.  It would be even worse than the War Memorial because there would be tons of empty seats, parking for events at the Dome is a pain in the neck (and more expensive than the Oncenter garage), and I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess the concessions will be more expensive too.

Adding to the lameness, it was reported on the radio this morning that they wanted to bill the game as a doubleheader… after the Crunch play, the SU women’s hockey team would play a game.  Really?  There’s a reason why you never have doubleheaders in hockey — one game is long enough.  Nobody wants to sit through two in a row!