I know I'm not from the city, but it is a hoarders mentallity to want to keep something that only has sentimental value to you (you meaning the hockey fans, myself included). We all have glorious memories of that place, but the city invested in this new arena for us, and it owes it to the non hockey fans to not spend millions a year to keep a memory running and falling apart, when the land could sold and used to help develop the area.
Demolishing the arena won't change the memories we have of it.