Who Owns YOUR Town?

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:00 am

My wife just forwarded me this exciting little bit of 'trivia' about our home town:

"The Pepsi Center is Rocky Mountain High on entertaining the masses in Denver. The arena serves as the home floor for the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, and the Arena Football League's Crush. The Pepsi Center's other amenities include casual and fine dining restaurants, as well as conference facilities. In all, the arena annually hosts more than 200 sporting contests, concerts, and other touring shows. Owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises, the holding company of Wal-Mart heir Stan Kroenke (who also owns the Nuggets and Avalanche), the Pepsi Center opened in 1999 and is located near the city's LoDo entertainment district."

How do you like that, Sports Fans? Some of you Canadians may recall that the Avalanche used to be Quebec's team. Who says the Stanley Cup (among other things) isn't for sale?

And of course, 'dude' doesn't even live here...I guess he's 'Rocky Mountain High on entertaining the masses in Denver', since our masses are so much more massive than those in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Oh well, there's always the Broncos...wait, they're owned by a Canadian ex-pat millionaire who moved here and duped us rubes into forking over a huge chunk of our tax dollars to build 'Invesco Field'...

The 'Home' team...what a farce.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:10 am

Who? Eh. I know who owns our town. But these guys are looking after me, and i think i'm still too young to kick the bucket...

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:20 am

Dane: As opinionated and outspoken as you are, I'm surprised to see it took you so long to point out what's wrong with mixing professional sports and taxpayer money.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:43 am

Besides everything?
"Show me the money!"
That's what it's all about

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:44 am

Yeah, you're right Randy...I don't where my head's been at...

Actually, I've felt this way in general about the whole deal for some time...I just didn't realize how bad it had gotten IMBY...

Of course, this kind of talk will get you labelled 'unpatriotic'...and not just in New England, either...

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:47 pm

Remember Jim Bouton, the loose cannon pitcher who wrote "Ball Four"?

He has recently also written "Foul Ball" about the mix of politics, money and pro baseball. Great read.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:58 am

Anybody who moved NHL teams out of Canada during that mass exodus of the 90's is very high on my sh*t list. The Nordiques especially hurt, as they were a team on the rise, and true to form, as soon as they move, they win a cup.

winston · Post by **winston** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:55 am

I quite agree John.

Losing the Quebec Nordiques and The Winnipeg Jets to US cities was a huge disappointment to their loyal and avid fans.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:12 am

I agree John. Also Mr. Eric Lindros was at least partially responsible for that whole debacle too. It really bothers me that he's currently a member of my beloved Maple Leafs, but as usual he's injured.

How shocking.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:27 am

Chris, I understand the whole situation that happened with him, but how do you figure he's partially responsible? The Nordiques/Avs did get Forsberg out of the deal in the end...

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:28 am

The US gov't owns most of my town.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:35 am

Ahhh, I was only half serious, it's just that I am NOT a Lindros fan. He & his family forced that trade because Lindros didn't want to play for Quebec. And therefore Quebec got Forsberg, some more guys & a chance to hoist the cup!

Albeit when they moved to Colorado.

I'm just glad that there are some more hockey fans here at the Rick Forum!

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 12:27 pm

I used to be a hockey fan (Leafs). The strike/lock out cured me of that. I've only seen 2 games this season.
Same goes for baseball.
It's hard to stay interested when it's been rubbed in your face that it's ONLY about the money. Just my opinion, of course.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 1:06 pm

My friends in the Apples In Stereo used to have a ****** little studio here where they recorded several albums...I was over there rehearsing one day, and we got to talking about the giant apartment building that was put up next door...one of them told me the top floor had been sold to someone for a million bucks. I said I couldn't imagine someone in Denver being able to pay a million for a place to live...a couple of weeks later he told me he had seen Forsberg walking out the front door...yeah, he would have a million to blow on a penthouse.

Oh, BTW, their former studio was razed a little while later....not exactly Abbey Road, but still...

winston · Post by **winston** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 1:55 pm

Forsberg is in Philly now. I wonder who owns that overpriced dwelling now?