HALIFAX, NS: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) says Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter and Nova Scotia’s federal minister, Peter MacKay, should reject a request from the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to fund a new soccer stadium.  

The CTF believes the costs of the stadium outweigh any possible benefits. So far the only major partners the city is pursuing to fund the stadium are other levels of government.

“There’s just one taxpayer, so it doesn’t matter what level of government the money comes from, it’s still a bad deal and a waste of money,” says Kevin Lacey, Atlantic Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

A staff report prepared for HRM council shows the stadium would lose almost half a million dollars a year. The maximum cost of constructing the stadium is $71.1 million, that’s $11.1 million or 18 per cent more than the $60 million dollar stadium maximum price tag council initially approved.

“This stadium is a cash pig. Even the most optimistic reports done for city council show that this stadium is going to draw millions away from important services, not just to construct it, but for the next 50 years that city staff says it could be in operation,” added Lacey.

The CTF believe operating losses could even be much larger than claimed in the reports to council because the consultants used rosy assumptions. For example, the reports assume that the stadium will be used for 50 event days a year.

Councillors pointed out at yesterday’s HRM council meeting that Moncton’s stadium (which is a similar size as proposed Halifax stadium) was used for just four major events last year and none of those were sold out.

“This venture is simply too risky to spend taxpayers money on. The federal and provincial governments should do the right thing and reject this money losing scheme proposed by HRM,” says Lacey.