171 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

As you know, I am not a fan of taxpayers subsidizing private sports teams. 

 

What about the performing arts?  They are much less popular and seem to get continuous taxpayer funding.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 October 2024 - 07:15 AM.

[Mike K.]

Same idea, that’s right.

[Victoria Watcher]

Festivals and events?  All should be self-supporting?  No free public events?

[Mike K.]

If there is an entrance fee, then no, taxpayers should not be subsidizing private businesses, whether they’re for profit or NFP. NFP rewards the executives, and awaits more funding from the taxpayer, that profit would have paid for, had they retained a portion of income.

I’m talking in generalities here but I see a lot of NFP executives making far more money than business owners. It’s quite lucrative to be an exec of an NFP, if you play it right. You’re also more highly regarded in our community to be working for an NFP.

[LJ]

Festivals and events?  All should be self-supporting?  No free public events?

There is no such thing as a "free" public event.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC will not be in the Grey Cup in Vancouver.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC will not be in the Grey Cup in Vancouver.

 

Seats left:

 

[Victoria Watcher]

From the day the deal was announced, the City of Victoria maintained its only contribution to putting on the Touchdown Pacific game would take the form of in-kind supports. Now, the city has admitted in a report to council that it paid the BC Lions $210,000 to reimburse the team’s costs to stage the Aug. 31 game at Royal Athletic Park.

 

That information, along with a public release of an in-camera council decision in October, contradicts what the city had told the public prior to the game.

 

When Touchdown Pacific was first announced, the City of Victoria said it would be making a $350,000 contribution to the event, which at the time, was understood by reporters at CHEK, and reported by Times Colonist and Capital Daily, to be entirely in-kind supports.

 

This was due to Marianne Alto, the mayor of Victoria, telling reporters, “We’re not writing any cheques, we’re actually providing important support services to make sure that the event goes well.”

 

At a Nov. 7, 2024 committee of the whole meeting, a post-event review of costs related to the event included a line item “Cash to BCL for Event Overhead,” which revealed the city gave the BC Lions $210,000 in cash.

 

CHEK News has since learned the original motion discussed on Nov. 16, 2023 to approve expenses for the event, which was discussed at an in camera meeting, meaning closed to the public, approved “up to $350,000 of in-kind and cash support.”

 

Alto says her quote about “not writing any cheques” was in response to a question she interpreted to be asking if the city was paying the BC Lions to come.

 

“The answer was, ‘no,” Alto said. “Would we, of course, compensate a partner for something they purchased on our behalf? Absolutely.”

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...n-kind-1222991/

 

 

 

 

However, CHEK News has been unable to find – and the communications department with the City of Victoria has been unable to provide – any notice that was accessible to the public prior to the event that indicated the city’s contribution to the Touchdown Pacific event would be a mixture of cash and in-kind.

 

Additionally, CHEK News reached out to the City of Victoria on July 9, 2024, as it received information that the city would be paying money to the BC Lions for the event, at which point a staff member with the communications department sent the following email.

“It sounds like there may be some crossed wires,” the email said. 

 

“Mayor Alto spoke about the City providing in-kind funding last November at the announcement event. The public notice is legislatively required and serves as the legal mechanism to finalize the in-kind funding agreement. For comparison, the City spent the same amount on Canada Day festivities.”

 

The email also pointed CHEK in the direction of the reporting by Times Colonist and Capital Daily which said the contribution was in-kind.

 

Alto says the $210,000 in cash given to the BC Lions was to reimburse costs the team incurred to buy permanent upgrades to Royal Athletic Park.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 November 2024 - 06:53 PM.

[Mike K.]

Council said today they couldn't dare lower parking costs to help downtown businesses, because they have budget obligations.

[Ismo07]

 

Alto says the $210,000 in cash given to the BC Lions was to reimburse costs the team incurred to buy permanent upgrades to Royal Athletic Park.

 

 

Is it just football posts?

[Ismo07]

Council said today they couldn't dare lower parking costs to help downtown businesses, because they have budget obligations.

 

Sounds like the improvements were already planned for. I would imagine in the 5 year plan maybe?  Curious to see the improvements when Harbour Cats start.

[Victoria Watcher]

Buck Pierce is back where his CFL career began. 

 

It’s been about 20 years since the quarterback from Crescent City, Cali., hopped into the car with his dad and took the long, winding drive up the West Coast to a B.C. Lions’ free agent camp in Portland, Ore., hoping to land a role with the team. 

 

This week, Pierce was named the Lions’ head coach. 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...pierce-1227515/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 December 2024 - 07:29 PM.