CORNWALL Ontario – Council and management have a chance to show some leadership and do something positive as it’s that time to decide on what to do with our hockey rink contracts.
Right now the Cornwall Colts have a ridiculous arrangement where they get subsidized by the city and get the ad revenue from the Civic Complex, an arena the team doesn’t come close to filling.
The LNAH Cornwall River Kings get boned. No subsidy, no ad cash. The team usually triples attendance over the Colts, and the bizarre rink deal clearly has handicapped the success of the team and its future.
Clearly it’s time to move the Colts over to the Benson Centre where the 500 seat space fits the product. Of course the team ownership looses a bucket of money, but the city is not in the business of filling local businesses pockets,right? If that were the case our local economy would be a lot better.
The River Kings should have all of the ad space for 2015/16 season if for no other reason to give them a chance to catch up for the previous years.
There is also the solution that no boards will be given to teams and that the city will simply set out a rate card and retain all of the ad dollars and simply give our reductions or grants to the teams that fill the seats to give the advertising their value.
There are a lot of unconfirmed rumors running around our hockey scene.
For example is David Murphy and/or the Benson group involved at an ownership level with the Colts? That might explain why they’ve been treated they way they have?
Are Mr. Murphy (who is also a city councilor) and Marty Benson trying to land a franchise from the Ontario Hockey League or the Q for Cornwall? If that is the case that should be discussed at this point in time.
If that franchise were landed it would hurt the River Kings. What consideration should the franchise be given?
The bottom line is that Council’s job is to decide what is best for the Corporation of the City of Cornwall and its taxpayers and not…….um…. Treating users of our facilities like the Benson Centre and Civic Complex is crucial. Treating them fairly should be the prime consideration after gaining the most revenue we can so taxpayers don’t get stuck with the bill.
The utter sad issue is that the City has chosen to subsidize Hockey to this degree while slashing funding to its public Art Gallery of 33 years to ZERO for 2015. That’s insane and is hurting our community as there are far more artists than hockey players.
What do you think Cornwall? You can post your comments below.
Cornwall has been on a downward spiral on whatever they touch
Positive change? LOL LOL. ROLF! It would make much more of an improvement by putting in a herd of dogs. Cornwall is so mighty laughable that it is unbelievable. The entire world is getting to know all about Cornwall.
I guess nothing is good enough for some people. A little change is better than no change, don’t you think?
You need to check your stats Cornwall Colts for 2014-2015 has so far had an average of 1004 in attendance. It has consistently been in top 3 of the league for years.
Now I am not sure how we can accommodate both teams to satisfaction, but the Colts have been around for longer and it seems the Kings management/ownership has been in turmoil for years.
Hugger1… changing four quarters for a loonie is an exercise in futility. Change for the sake of change is a fools game. Change needs to provide an obvious benefit or improvement in order to be considered as progress. Change that accomplishes neutral results is only a waste of time and resources.
David Oldham….so you’re saying the River Kings shouldn’t be given a fair deal? The Colts are getting minor hockey ice rental rates and are obviously not a minor hockey operation, but charging admission. The Colts charge admission as well. So, it’s time for city council to strike a rink rental deal that is fair to both teams and not favour the Colts.
With Respect To the comment of David Oldham (June 21, 2015 at 7:55 pm)…
Your comments might well be applied to our last municipal election.
I’m sure the numbers are out there, but i can’t seem to find them. So does anyone know the dollar amounts each of these teams are paying for ice rental? I just want to understand what the big deal is all about. I mean, are we talking major revenue for the city here or what?
The total average ice revenue the Colts have paid the city directly in the last three years is $45,988 per year.
The total average ice revenue the River Kings have paid the city directly in the last three years is $22,667 per year.
Hugger that’s a quote from the city document. It also includes revenue from the Fred Page Cup. It’s accuracy has not been verified by an independent source. Also, if you add in the subsidy from the city that number for the Colts drops dramatically. Perhaps you should use the numbers posted for last season?
I know those are city numbers. I don’t have access to the subsidy numbers or last season’s totals.
Like the cost consultant said what do you want the numbers to support or do you want the truth.
Simon I am happy to see that someone recognizes that nothing much was accomplished in the last election. Apathy is not yet completely in control, there is still room for hope. Personally I will go down kicking and screaming.