Ohio taxpayers may be asked to help fund the renovations.
Anybody have $400 million to upgrade the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets franchise arena? If there is $400 million around for the soon to be 25-year-old venue, then The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority will call you and go ahead with the renovations. All of the renovations seem to be designed to get more money out of the building’s customers. But before that happens, the arena owner The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority plans to go to the statehouse in Columbus and ask for money. Ohio lawmakers are planning to spend money on the National Football League Cleveland Browns franchise owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam’s dream of building an NFL stadium-village in Brook Park, a Cleveland suburb. Ohio lawmakers also might be sending money to Hamilton County officials to help fund the renovation of the NFL’s Cincinnati football stadium. How much money does Ohio have for venue construction costs?
“We’re starting that conversation with the statehouse right now,” said Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority Executive Director Ken Paul. “There are several proposals being considered where the state would invest in sports facilities across the state. We’re hoping to be part of that solution.” The Columbus arena is used for more than hockey. There are concerts and Monster Trucks events. The building will host the NCAA Women’s Final Four and the women’s volleyball national championships in 2027. In 2028, the arena will once again host first and second round games in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. But those events are just one off events. However, the Columbus arena owners want to keep those types of events in the future and feel the need to freshen up the building to make sure that happens. There is no timetable for the renovation because there is no money committed at the moment. There is now an arena game going on in Columbus.
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