Arena Football League goes on hiatus: another potential tenant for Albuquerque Arena up in smoke

Once the holidays are over, Albuquerque’s City Council will again be discussing whether to pony up close to $400 million and raise taxes in order to finance an arena. We at the Rio Grande Foundation have long questioned the need for a taxpayer-financed arena or events center, particularly who would actually play there. Possibilities have included the WNBA and an arena football team.
Council better hurry up because the list of possible tenants has become even narrower with news that the Arena Football league has decided not to play the 2009 season. This comes on the heels of news that the Comets, the WNBA team in Houston, has folded. If the WNBA can’t survive in America’s 4th-largest season, how will it survive here?
The fact is that the case for the arena is built on nothing more than hope and taxpayer dollars. If they build it, who will come?