MH Stampede Not Living In Reality
The Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede made a presentation to council this week and you could say it was poor at best and insulting to Medicine Hat council and taxpayers at the least.
The Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede made a presentation to council this week that you could say was poor at best and insulting to Medicine Hat city council and taxpayers at the least..
General Manager, Ron Edwards took to the podium and presented the same presentation he has flogged for the last two years to a council that has grown tired of his antics. This is the third time they have pushed this project without any significant changes to the limited plan that does exist.
Sources inside city hall have told the Sentinel they were frustrated that there was no business plan, no idea of long term operational costs and no real community need for the expanded facility. It was an attempt to get funds from the city because they feel they are owed.
It’s one thing when a non profit agricultural organization like the one in Lethbridge works with the community and stakeholders to develop a plan to present to the province for funding. It’s another when the MH Stampede engages no one outside its inner circle and, like an impetuous child, keeps demanding funding and expecting it to happen.
The presentation was just another example of how tone deaf Mr. Edwards and the Stampede board are in a time of increasing costs to all Hatters. The current grandstand facility is used maybe 20 days at most in a year. When you look at the economic benefit of what is actually held at the grandstands it is not drawing thousands of tourists into Medicine Hat to spend money like the Calgary Stampede.
The more than $20 million the Stampede is asking for doesn’t include other costs taxpayers will have to pay for this project to proceed nor does it have an estimate on annual operating costs once it is built.
For an organization that gives nothing substantial back to the community, as it charges full fare to other non profits to use it's facilities, it’s insanity they think they deserve one red cent of taxpayer money at this point.
Years of poor financial planning and mismanagement under Mr. Edwards’ influence should not be rewarded with taxpayer money. When asked about the fundraising efforts they had done to date, there were no numbers and clearly no effort being made unless they got city money. The recent palace coup of the MH Stampede president only reinforces the iron grip Mr. Edwards has on the Stampede board.
It’s time for council to tell the MH Stampede the wallet is closed. There is no return on the “investment” Mr. Edwards says there would be. It is nothing but a vanity project and has zero long term benefit. The city would be better off taking back the land and developing much needed affordable housing than contribute to this white elephant.
Maybe if Mr. Edwards paid full fare for boarding his horses at Stampede grounds year round, which in itself is against city ordinances, there may be more in the kitty for his project.
We welcome the Stampede and Mr. Edwards to respond to this editorial.
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