Thin ice: Money, politics and the demise of an NHL franchise [Paperback]

It is very interesting to note how much of the American media is advocating that the Pittsburgh Penguins re-locate to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Sound reasoning involved here; after all, isn't Winnipeg a city where hockey is a religion? Yet from Winnipeg itself there appears to be no interest at all in bring the NHL back to the city. Thin Ice, even though it was written back in 1996, very accurately portrays the business community in Winnipeg as lacking in entrepreneurial spirit, both then and now. The grandchildren and great grandchildren who inherited all the "old money" from when Winnipeg was a boom-town are only concerned with preserving what they have, and have no ambition to use that money to create new business ventures. I agree with Jim Silver that professional sports teams should be run entirely by the private sector, and that tax payers should not contribute one red cent to what is in actual fact a luxury, especially when health care is in a crises. What is more important to taxpayers? Having millionaire athletes live in in the city, or ensuring that patients in over-crowded hospitals get the treatment they require NOW, not later? But I disagree with author Jim Silver when he advocates funding anti-poverty activists, who are themselves interested in perpetuating poverty so that they themselves can maintain well paid jobs as "social activists". When will the Left learn that the best way to eliminate poverty is to create opportunity for the poor to better themselves and become self sufficient? That said, and to conclude, Winnipeg will likely never have again have an NHL franchise, as long as the business community does not want to take the risk, and the Leftist Establishment in town is hostile to any attempt to create a worthwhile business venture. For this long time Winnipeg Jets fan, an unfortunate situation, as the opportunity would be there if only the business community would "wake up", and the government, both civic and provincial, where not so hung up on pouring money into the black hole of "social services".