Federal Housing Dollars for Circus Acts?

Cirque de Soleil is a tremendously successful organization, raking in millions from shows all over the world, including 6 or 8 shows in Las Vegas alone. They are apparently interested in starting a show at Hollywood's Kodak Theater, the home of the Oscars and a facility that's dark most of the year. That could be a good idea except for one thing - they and the City of Los Angeles are looking for federal loans to make it happen:

Federal money is being sought in an effort to make Cirque du Soleil comfortable when it swings into the Kodak Theatre.

The Los Angeles City Council is expected to consider the proposal Tuesday, which would lend the owner of the Hollywood & Highland complex $30 million in federal funds. The money would be used to build a rehearsal center and a sub-stage 45 feet below the existing stage. I

CIM Group, which owns the Hollywood & Highland complex and leases the Kodak Theatre, hopes to hold the first Cirque du Soleil show there in 2011 and keep the group there for about a decade.

Testifying before the Housing, Community and Economic Development committee last week, City Council President President Eric Garcetti called the plan "an amazing coup."

It's a coup alright, or perhaps a robbery would be a better description. The Hollywood area is not exactly hurting for tourists. I'e been up there several times in the last couple of years and there are plenty of tourists walking around. If they want a Cirque show at the Kodak, fine. Let Cirque fund it or the City of Los Angeles or the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Federal funding should not be used for this even if only a loan. Federal loans have a way of not being paid back.