To the editor,
Up until now, the World Trade Convention Centre was owned and
operated by the province. But HRM will be directly involved in the new
one. Why? With all the work we need done on the sewers, roads and the
sewage treatment plant, why are they getting involved in this
venture?
I read it was a public-private partnership, involving all three
levels of government and the private sector. Listed were the one-time
limited donations from Ottawa and Nova Scotia, but nothing about a
limited donation from HRM and nothing about how much private business
will donate. Who will supply the main chequebook that will guarantee
all costs not covered by the other partners? Who will cover cost
overruns? Who will operate it and take any profits? Who will underwrite
the deficits annually?
Why do we need a new convention centre, anyway? The one we have
requires annual inputs of cash. Why do we need a bigger one with bigger
operating costs and new, greater debts? How do we tell mayor Peter
Kelly and his council (so that they will listen) that people have
enough economic problems without them squandering hundreds of millions
of dollars on something like this.
—Bruce DeVenne, Lower Sackville
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2009.
Typical Bruce Devane,never seeing the big picture…WTCC brings in millions of NEEDED dollars to HRM,and many larger conventions go elsewhere…with the new convention centre being three times larger,we will attract larger conventions,thus,more revenue in our pockets…thank god bruce never ran a company,he’ll be broke by now…Bruce,you need know ALL the facts before commneting on any matters…thats why you lost the last election!!! no one cares about your negative views!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t we need a stadium more though? So people will stop squandering the Commons? Maybe a combination of the two….