LA approves a $39 million dollar enclosure for elephants

Thats nothing compared to the Millenium Dome in Greenwich, it cost over £800 million to build another couple of hundred million to maintain, after the clock struck midnight to bring in the new millenium it basically became redundant, I think it barely remained open a year and a half before it was closed.

All in all I read somewhere the total cost of everything including building, maintence, grants, etc... the bill came to around £1.5 Billion.

If the elephant enclosure can be self sufficient, driven by charitable donations and visitor numbers I don't really see too big a problem, but if its going to continually require funding from the taxpayer it doesn't sound too good an idea.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by LeHah

Yeah, how dare the government spend my tax dollars! Especially if it does me no good!

I'm not talking about such a project in the sense of direct effect to the tax payer, what I'm trying to convey is the sense cost control and long term financial sustainability, you don't want it closing shortly after due to lack of funding. Ok it will cost $39 million but that can quickly become $50 million or $75 million. Like I said its ok if the enclosure can sustain itself through charitable donations and visitor numbers, but what if five years down the line it struggles financially and the council decide to stop any funding because its sucking up so much tax payer money resulting in its closure.

A prime example being that of the Scottish Parliment building, which was projected to cost £40 million to build, in actual fact it cost £431 million. Also look at the Dome example I posted above, it continued to be a black hole in taxpayer pockets so it had to be closed which undermined the whole purpose of the project and why £1.5 billion had to be wasted for it to close a year down the line.

Thats always the worry with big projects I suppose, it all comes down to the planning. And do you mind nt twisting my words for your one liners.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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HOLY SHIT YOU CAN USE BIG LETTERS?????

NICE

MY bad for the typo.

Originally Posted by LeHah

I can't really atest to something I don't know anything about - but it stands to reason that a Parliment building is probably pretty important to build.

That maybe so but I'd still be worried that it cost an extra £391 million, considering the NHS' financial crisis, with some hospitals even closing, dare I say it but with good cost control you can even save money which can be used to fund other projects. I wouldn't want it closing 2 years down the line and the elephants being housed somewhere else, which could of been done in the first place. I remember there used to be this zoo where I live, but that was closed down about 10 years ago due to a lack of money. (It became Legoland).

Don't you guys over there in the States have an overwhelming education and healthcare system crisis which this money could be spent on. Don't get me wrong I'm not against such an idea, infact I quite like these sorts of projects, I suppose every goverment/council has to throw money at something.

But if its only for 3 elephants surely there must be some existing sanctuarys/zoo/enclosures in the United States to house them rather than shelling out $39 million.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.