Think BIG, Eau Claire!

On Wednesday, plans were officially unveiled for a 6-million dollar renovation and expansion of Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire.   Anyone who's spent time in that facility, especially during a well-attended event, can understand that the time has come to update the 34-year old building.

On the surface, it seems like a great idea--especially the partnership between the user groups (UW-Eau Claire, Eau Claire Youth Hockey, Eau Claire Figure Skating Club, North & Memorial High Schools) and the city of Eau Claire.   

However, I think it's worth pointing out while Eau Claire is looking at a 6-million dollar renovation project at Hobbs, the Wausau area is thinking big when it comes to an arena.  Here's a link to an article in the Wausau Daily Herald which details a proposed 4,000 seat arena, at a cost of 20-million dollars:

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080120/WDH0101/801200489/1580/WDH01

Keep in mind, the Wausau area already has an outstanding hockey venue, Greenheck Fieldhouse, a multi-purpose facility:

http://www.dce.k12.wi.us/greenheck/

Wausau is also home to Marathon County Ice Arena, which is used by the Wausau West and Wausau East high school hockey teams.  Outside of Wausau, Stevens Point has three facilities (Willett Arena , Goals & Dreams Arena, and Portage County Youth On Ice), Marshfield is home to the Marshfield Youth Ice & Recreation Center, while Wisconsin Rapids has the South Wood County Recreation Center...so, it's not like central Wisconsin is in desperate need of new ice sheets and/or arenas.

Without a firm grasp of the logistics or financial realities that it would take to make it happen, I'll pose the question anyway:  Why not take a serious look at a multi-purpose, first-class facility for Eau Claire?  In a city that's desperately trying to promote downtown redevelopment, how about something that would actually draw people from the area to downtown?

Consider what the Kohl Center has done for Madison, in terms of additional development in the southeast section of the University of Wisconsin campus area:

  http://www.madison.com/tct/news/267155 

Granted, any similar sort of development in Eau Claire would have to be on a much smaller scale...but with so many facilities in need of either renovation or replacement (e.g., Hobbs Ice Center, Zorn Arena, State Theater), an arena/auditorium complex could be a tremendous addition to either the downtown or UWEC area.   Eau Claire is definitely a regional center for health care and retail--perhaps it's time to start thinking about how to make the city a regional center for arts and entertainment.

I know that money is always an objection when any type of civic project is proposed...but are the economic realities in the Wausau area that much different than in Eau Claire?   Couldn't the right kind of public-private partnership provide a venue for a wide array of user groups, who could all benefit from a new facility?

Another thing to consider: look at all the retail/commercial development that has taken place in the Chippewa Valley over the last ten years.   Has civic development kept pace?   

Of course, there's another, very basic problem which always seems to rear its ugly head: inertia.   For whatever reason, many people in this area seem to be very resistant to change.   I can recall a lot of "it won't work here" thinking when the Northwoods League wanted to place a team in Eau Claire (even after demonstrated success in other cities like Wausau and La Crosse), and how long it took to make the Eau Claire Express a reality.   Now, after three seasons, the Express is a big hit, and Carson Park is a definite place to be in the summertime.      

So why not a year-round gathering place?  I realize no one wants to pay higher taxes, but I'm one who doesn't mind spending money as long as I'm getting something of value.

Otherwise, there's the benefactor route.  To help make the Kohl Center a reality, Senator Herb Kohl kicked in $25-million, while Ab Nicholas contributed another $10-million...other donors followed.

Anyone around these parts ready to step up?

-BOB BRADOVICH