{"id":696,"date":"2025-07-18T23:50:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T23:50:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.canoeinstructor.com\/?p=696"},"modified":"2025-07-24T12:06:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T12:06:39","slug":"why-isnt-greeley-asking-for-anything-from-the-1-1-billion-cascadia-hockey-arena-project-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.canoeinstructor.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/18\/why-isnt-greeley-asking-for-anything-from-the-1-1-billion-cascadia-hockey-arena-project-opinion\/","title":{"rendered":"Why isn\u2019t Greeley asking for anything from the $1.1 billion Cascadia hockey arena project? (Opinion)"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I served on the Greeley-Evans School Board, I saw the best of our community. I saw city officials, county commissioners, chamber members, business leaders, residents, and school board members come together around visions and ideas.<\/p>\n

At the time, we were looking for ways to invest in our town\u2019s future. Together, we traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to learn about the Kalamazoo Promise and find out how we could give every child a college scholarship upon high school graduation.<\/p>\n

We learned that to generate funds for their ambitious project, Kalamazoo had built a downtown hotel surrounded by supporting businesses. We spoke to local leaders and learned from their project, and then adapted Kalamazoo\u2019s success right here at home — implementing G Town Promise<\/a>. We passed a bond issue and a mill levy override. We rebuilt Greeley West and completed long-overdue improvements. I was — and still am — so proud of my community and our commitment.<\/p>\n

This is why I find the current Cascadia Project<\/a> and how our local elected officials are approaching it so concerning.<\/p>\n

Greeley\u2019s government has been pushing full steam ahead on a $1.1 billion hockey stadium project, with taxpayers footing the bill. Unlike the Kalamazoo Promise, Cascadia has no guarantee of investment in our local people or community. The hockey team is privately owned, and its financials are unknown. Our local town council has not asked Martin Lind, the team\u2019s owner, to make any investment or agree to any terms to stay in the area or give any benefit back to our town. Unlike the public-private partnerships we created with the Kalamazoo Promise, Cascadia appears to be a taxpayer-funded public giveaway to a private CEO.<\/p>\n

Our elected officials have not done due diligence to find out why Lind\u2019s current stadium in Loveland is not working out. As far as we know, they haven\u2019t traveled to Larimer County \u2013 far closer than Kalamazoo \u2013 to learn from them or get the answers to the numerous questions that have been raised about the Cascadia Project. At recent town council meetings, Greeley citizens have had many questions. Citizens have asked how much water this massive facility would need, if the town will need to invest in roads to handle traffic, or if school district boundaries will be altered. Answers are few and far between.<\/p>\n

Bringing community together is hard work. When I served on the school board, we disagreed on some things, but we shared a goal to make Greeley better for our residents. Together, we turned District 6 (which I represented) around and developed internships and opportunities for kids.<\/p>\n