Business Decision or Money Grab

Of all the things I could have been blogging about since my last posting (The Wrongs and Rights of Social Media - June 19, 2011), I'm not sure why this subject becomes the one ... maybe I was just looking for an excuse to get going again. Either way, here it is.

I just read in the Prince George Citizen (August 23, 2011) that the City has approved paid preferential parking spots at the CN Centre for WHL games, concerts and presumably other events. The idea is to provide parking in those spots with close proximity to the arena and to also allow for special exiting privileges to those willing to pay for one or more of the 73 designated spots.

On the surface I say if the market will support it then why not? But this is Prince George and there is always something more to everything. Now I want to preface this by saying that the Cougars, who are the main tenant and the WHL team that would be generating the majority of occasions to use a preferential parking system, are sometimes painted with a brush stroke that is often less than kind. Whether that be a result of their own doing or not ... that's the subject of another blog down the road when I grow some fuzz on my peaches.

In the Citizen article, it is very apparent that should this plan be seen in a negative light there will only be one identity to hang the blame on and point the finger at - the Cougars. The article states that the Cougars management initiated the proposal and under ideal scenarios would stand to benefit with an estimated $15,900 in revenues while the City would also see over $16,000 added to their coffers.

I worry about how the article has been written and thereby presented to the public as it will become another example of how the "Cougars take money from the community." Again right or wrong, I have no beef with the Cougars and their business model. Unlike the Spruce Kings, who are a community owned not for profit entity, the Cougars are a private business and their goal is to make a profit for themselves. I believe that they do the best they can to put the best product on the ice and as I mentioned above, perhaps that is best left for another blog down the road.

Bottom line is, if you want to see a Cougars WHL game and are prepared to pay for a preferred spot closer to the arena and also get the added perk of an easier exit following the event ... then go for it. If that isn't your cup of tea, then that is okay too. There are many parking spots in well lit areas of the CN Centre parking lot that I will use and walk the few extra steps to get to the game. I'm not the type of person that will leave the arena early, so exiting the parking lot isn't usually a problem for me.

I hope people will see this simply as a business decision designed to make a profit and maybe, just maybe, benefit the City as well by generating monies in an area that weren't there previously. Simply put, this is a good business idea but it may just be a little too far ahead of its time in Prince George.