I have never understood why a private business enterprise, such as an NFL team, can say to a city “we need a new stadium” and expect the taxpayers to pay for it. Why doesn’t the team pay for their own stadium? After all, the venue is being run for the owner’s profit isn’t it? The city does get taxes that are generated as the result of the stadium’s operation, but it never recoups the amount the city fathers, if they’re stupid enough to buy into this bilge, spend on the construction of a new stadium.
Usually these “requests” for a new playpen are accompanied by the threat of the team moving out of town. My response is: “OK. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt when you leave. Remember to turn out the lights and lock the doors.”
They do it the same way any other big business does it, the threat to move is very useful. And not just in sports, most major businesses run bidding wars between cities for new facilities and relocated facilities. And it works because nobody wants to be the mayor that lost the Toyota plant, or the football team. It’s a smart business tactic, if you know some city out there will build you a new facility why pay for one yourself.