DECEMBER 23, 2009

Last-Minute Gift Ideas: Old Stadiums

Some of These Facilities That Sit Mostly Idle Could Possibly Be Had for a Reasonable Sum

By [1] HANNAH KARP

Associated Press

The Pontiac Silverdome is shown last month.

Most sports fans assume that once a stadium or arena is replaced by a newer model, the old house is immediately blown to smithereens in a pyrotechnics show that would make James Cameron proud. But many more than you think are still around. Some have historical value, while others are still bringing in funds to cash-strapped municipalities. Who knows, some may even be available to well-heeled holiday shoppers looking for a last-minute gift. Here are a few:…([2] Full Story)

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We all know by now that the powers-that-be are hard at work to add the Edmonton Rexal Centre to the impressive list of covered stadiums fallen into disuse throughout the world that the Wall Street Journal put together.

Do we need to wonder whether efforts like the Bruderheim Multiplex will be added to the list?

The concern, of course, is that in the end it is only the taxpayers that must foot the bill for such white elephants by design, whether they remain in use forever or not.

However, wait a couple of thousands of years or so… such white elephants can perhaps turn into tourist attractions.  It worked out that way with the Coliseum in Rome, even though the debts incurred in operating the culture of bread and games became a major contributor to the Roman Empire’s ultimate collapse and demise.