This is the idea that won't die. Construction has started on the North Shore casino, in the shadow of repairs to that goofy looking funnel thing that was ripped to shreds at the Science Center.
Heinz field lies dormant until fall. 3 restaurants/night clubs have closed near PNC park and the bickering of the new hockey arena continues.
Meanwhile, I have been wondering about 4 million dollars. Four years ago, Ed Rendell handed the Steelers $4 million of state (ahhhem, I mean your money) to build an amphitheater. Well I don't know if you noticed, but nothing was ever built. So where did the money go? Well, the Steelers gave that money to the Sports and Exhibition Authority to building a parking garage.
But now the Steelers are putting together plans for a year-round $10 million entertainment complex at the site. Let's do the math shall we? They are 6 million dollars short, assuming the Sports and Exhibition Authority has 4 million dollars to hand back to the team. Was this a gift or a loan? Either way taxpayers foot the bill.
Word is the Steelers and Anschutz Entertainment Group will foot most the bill with more money expected from the state.
The entertainment complex is the latest variation of the Steelers' longtime desire to develop the site for music and other events. The team originally had plans for a 5,600-seat amphitheater on the property but had trouble negotiating a deal with a promoter and finalizing the economics of the project. Ahh, ya think?
So get ready folks for another major North Shore development with another hotel (the third between the stadiums. A 180-room Residence Inn also is planned in the same vicinity) is expected to get under way by this summer.
Is the the formula for the future or are we building a house of cards? Time will tell.
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