311 callers hung up on publicly-funded arena

Edmontons proposed downtown arena is taking the same kind of drubbing at the city call centre that the Oilers are accustomed totaking on the ice.

Nine of 10 calls to 311 are against the arena going ahead withpublic money, said Coun. Tony Caterina.

That imbalance is reflected in the calls hes getting to his office, he said.

Councillors will receive a report from administration Thursday detailing how the $450 million arena will be financed.

Many councillors claim they haven'tadequate informationto make a decision.

Most of the questions surround thecitys commitment of $125 million to be raised from taxation of properties near the arena, known as community revitalization levy or CRL.

Even ifcouncillors buy into the CRL,the financial plan is still $100 million short.

If that isn't enough both Mayor Stephen Mandel and The Katz Group is pushing for a decision soon.

Time to take next step

Council has enough information to take the next step,indicating toThe Katz Group the city is willing to move ahead, said Mandel.

"This isnt about the finality of a decision that were

'I'm prepared to vote no and let this project die,' Coun. Tony Caterina

going to start construction of an arena tomorrow morning."

But Caterina said hed rather let the arena diethan make a bad decision.

"We just don't have enough information at this point to make a decision, so if that's the case someone wants to bring forward a motion, I'm prepared to vote no and let this project die," he said.

Caterinasaid city administration is undermining councillors because of its active support forthe arena.

"Administration's job is to be neutral - its job is to provide us with the best information possible and the correct information.

"They're trying to justify a downtown arena and that, to me, doesn't wash."