When the Rogers Place arena opened in downtown Edmonton in September 2016, no amount of buzz could drown out the rumours of manipulation, secret deals, and corporate greed undergirding the project. Working with documentary evidence and original interviews, the authors present an absorbing account of the machinations that got the arena and the adjacent Ice District built, with a price tag of more than $600 million. The arena deal, they argue, established a costly public financing precedent that people across North America should watch closely, as many cities consider building sports facilities for professional teams or international competitions. Their analysis brings clarity and nuance to a case shrouded in secrecy and understood by few besides political and business insiders. Power Play tells a dramatic story about clashing priorities where sports, money, and municipal power meet.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jay Scherer is Professor of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and David Mills is a retired Professor of Canadian history, both from the University of Alberta. Linda Sloan McCulloch was elected and served on Edmonton City Council from 2004 to 2013.
Power Play: Professional Hockey and the Politics of Urban Development will be launched to the public on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at Audreys Books.
WHAT: Power Play: Professional Hockey and the Politics of Urban Development Book Launch Event
WHO: Jay Scherer, David Mills and Linda Sloan McCulloch, authors. University of Alberta Press, publisher
WHEN: Wednesday, October 23, 2019
WHERE: Audreys Books (10702 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB) MAP
TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The book is available for purchase at Audreys Books. It can also be purchased online.