Mayor Peter Kelly says he met three times with Joe Ramia, the developer of the convention centre proposed for downtown, during a period when prospective developers were to be disqualified from the project if they discussed it with city officials. But none of those meetings were improper, says Kelly. In 2008, the province and city […]
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Why the convention centre sucks, part 4
We have touched on the documents behind the convention centre proposal before. Part 2 and Part 3 of this series looked at the new jobs and tax dollars that are supposed to come with a new convention centre—what the consultants’ reports say the benefits will be, and how centre supporters overstate these benefits. Those earlier […]
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City’s convention centre costs balloon
The provincial government dropped two bombshells on Halifax council Tuesday. The deal in the works for the new convention centre proposed for downtown includes two provisos: that the city exempt the new convention centre from property taxes, and that the city buy the existing World Trade and Convention Centre. Either or both proviso could kill […]
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Why the convention centre sucks, part 3
One of the most bizarre arguments in favour of the proposed convention centre is that it will increase tax revenues. “Generating perpetual tax revenue for the federal, provincial and municipal governments, a new convention centre will help fund valuable provincial infrastructure like roads, schools and hospitals,” says an online petition, echoing sentiments expressed by any […]
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Why the convention centre sucks, part 2
Convention centre supporters are consistently touting about the job-creation potential of the proposed convention centre. “A new convention centre could result in as many as 12,000 new jobs,” says Infrastructure minister Bill Estabrooks. “A shadow bid prepared by Deloitte…estimates the project will add $893 million to economic output, $171 million in taxes and 28,000 jobs […]
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Why the convention centre sucks, part 1
No alternative uses for the public money have been suggested, and the alternative proposals for a convention centre were discarded without public explanation. Moreover, the proposed public/private arrangement is a disservice to the public, giving us a crappy convention centre for the money, and handing a huge bill to the future.
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Bill Estabrooks says building convention centre is “right decision”
Transportation and infrastructure minister Bill Estabrooks sent an email Wednesday to the NDP’s rank-and-file members throughout the province. It explains why “your NDP government has released the financial detail for a proposed new convention centre in Halifax.” Near the top of the message, Estabrooks clearly says the government “has not yet made a decision on the project.” But by the end it’s also pretty clear he’s kinda sorta made up his mind: “I believe that this is the right decision, should we choose to go forward with the project.” That’s a little cart-and-horse, isn’t it? If it’s the right decision,
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Ottawa vs Halifax convention centres
Much in this Ottawa Citizen article from last week is self-serving convention centre management tripe, which I’ll leave off for another day, but I was struck by the financing of the new Ottawa Convention Centre: The federal and provincial governments are each paying $50 million to the $170-million construction cost and the city has invested […]
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Province rolls out convention centre details
The debate is over: it is abundantly clear that the NDP government has decided to move forward with the proposed convention centre complex in downtown Halifax. Those opposed to the proposal, myself included, have lost the debate. The details of the proposal were spelled out this afternoon via a press conference at the World Trade […]
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Howard Epstein ponders his future with the NDP
[image-1] While the NDP caucus considers what to do with Howard Epstein, Epstein is in turn rethinking his position with the NDP. In an interview with The Coast last Friday, Epstein openly mulled over his future with the party. He says he is considering leaving the party and sitting as independent in the legislature. The proposed downtown convention centre is one factor in a constellation of issues that is causing the Halifax MLA to rethink his relationship with the NDP. In our Friday interview, Epstein revealed that the convention centre would cost $160 million, and the proposal was for the
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First look at convention centre costs: City will be asked to pay $57 million
[image-1] The proposed convention centre for downtown Halifax will cost taxpayers $160 million, with the province and city each contributing $57 million, and the federal government providing the balance, $46 million. These budget figures were included in a detailed proposal given to the provincial NDP caucus last Wednesday, and were provided to The Coast by Halifax MLA Howard Epstein. Infrastructure minister Bill Estabrooks, who is overseeing the convention centre project for the Darrell Dexter government, declined Monday to comment on possible financing schemes and would not confirm Epstein’s figures. “It’s too rich for our blood; it’s too expensive,” says Epstein.
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The convention centre rescue plan
If you doubt these are topsy-turvy times, consider that mayor Peter Kelly is now held up as Halifax’s foremost example of clear thinking. Building a new convention centre in downtown Halifax is a “no-brainer,” Kelly told a daily newspaper last week, and the comment was placed in a headline on the front page and plastered […]
