Feinstein bill aims to help keep 49ers in San Francisco

Mercury News ^ | 1/11/07 | Associated Press

[Battle Hymn of the Republic]

WASHINGTON - Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation Thursday that could help keep the 49ers in San Francisco

Earlier this week, the team asked Santa Clara to conduct a six-month study on building a new stadium.

The move is strongly opposed by San Francisco officials and by Feinstein, a San Francisco mayor before she came to the Senate.

"This legislation is designed to slow the movement of NFL teams and prevent communities from suffering the financial and intangible costs of these moves," Feinstein said. "Our football teams are more than just businesses."

Feinstein, a member of the Judiciary Committee, is also working on legislation to give local communities control over their sports teams' names, so the 49ers couldn't remain the 49ers if they moved from San Francisco.

[Battle Hymn of the Republic]

maybe she can sell her new 16M home in Pacific Heights to help pay for them to stay in SF.

[isthisnickcool]

No taxpayer money should ever be used for sports stadiums.

[Vaquero]

Maybe she confused them with the indigenous, all male,
SF 69ers

[Popocatapetl]

Guess again. NFL teams are nothing BUT business.

Maybe she would have better luck convincing the Arizona Cardinals to go to SF.

Please?

[mysterio]

Good. Sports teams have jumped in bed with government to rob the taxpayers and extort corporate welfare. They deserve every bit of statist legislation that can get passed. As a matter of fact, I propose going a little farther. If a team blackmails a community into building a stadium for them, they aren't allowed to leave for 100 years. If they do, the owner owes the community the entire cost of the stadium plus interest. If they don't like those conditions, they should act like most other businesses and build their own damned golden castles.

[Wolfie]

No taxpayer money should ever be used for sports stadiums.

I'd love to see that written into Federal law.

[FormerACLUmember]

What sports team in their right mind wants the disgrace and embarassment of being associated with "San Francisco"? Seriously.

[george76]

Nancy Pelosi's husband ''just happens'' to own a big chunk of land which used to belong to the Federal Government (us taxpayers): Hunters Point Naval Shipyards.

Her protégé, Gavin Newsom, current Mayor of San Francisco, is trying to strike up a deal where the San Francisco 49ers will get that land and stay in the city, rather than moving to Santa Clara and building a new stadium down there.

But there seems to be some problem with the Naval shipyard being a Superfund cleanup site.

Stand by for developments as the blinkless wonder simultaneously cleans up corruption in Congress, and finds a way around this ''Inconvenient Truth.''

[Bogeygolfer]

"No taxpayer money should ever be used for sports stadiums."

I find that to be so short sighted. Why shouldn't cities be allowed to compete with one another for a sports franchise. The winners here are the cities who generate enormous tax revenue as well as less tangible benefits. Why do you think the cities all want a franchise? I find the idea to be a no brainer. If you consider the city an entity or business and the residents the owners I want to do everything in my power to find good long term investments to help the city prosper. Sorry but not every investment turns out golden so you can find a few sad stories, half of them involving the Raiders. Here is actually a way to spend tax dollars in a manner that generates income and wealth for a city and you say no?

[truth_seeker]

"...maybe she can sell her new 16M home in Pacific Heights to help pay for them to stay in SF."

It is always reassuring to learn that "class envy" is not the sole province of liberals.

[jimtorr]

...........so you can find a few sad stories, half of them involving the Raiders.

I challenge you to come up with even one success story, with proof that a new sports team was a net profit for a city/county, when the city/county paid for the facilities.

[Bogeygolfer]

couldn't do it in five minutes. I am in the process of reconsidering my opinion but that will take some time. Now that it appears tough to justify as an investment I'll have to consider the other issues. I read a nice piece about the Dallas Cowboys and the analysis came down to it costing $25 per tax payer. Not bad.

[isthisnickcool]

Sports stadiums do not return money to the taxpayer. They make money for sports franshice owners that are already wealthy. The exception to that is George W. Bush who got rich off the Texas Stadium deal.

Here is just one study on this matter.

You cannot provide any real data that says that the taxpayer gets anything back on their investment. Heck, in most cities the majority of taxpayers never even see the inside of the stadium.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Unfortunately, that picture is pointing the wrong way...out of San Francisco! Needed to use a shot from Treasure Island looking west. ;)

[FormerACLUmember]

Could this not be an entrance ramp on the Marin side looking south? (actually I suspect you are right.. there would not be headlands to the east in the distance looking south)

[Mr. Jeeves]

No, this is in San Francisco looking east toward the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island in the distance - though I think the trees might have been Photoshopped in.

Of course, that's Oakland in the far distance, so the intent of the creator is still valid. ;)

[rellimpank]

--I find the idea to be a no brainer. If you consider the city an entity or business and the residents the owners--

--next "city" live in I'll try and cash out my ownership position and take it with me---

[MinorityRepublican]

Bingo! You are right. That is why Washington D.C. attracted Montreal Expos to move to the Nation's Capital by building a new stadium. I would say this is similiar to New York City having Central Park, residents of a major city needs to have parks, stadiums, restaurants, etc to prevent them from moving to the Suburbs which would cause a great loss in tax base for the city.

So building a sports stadium is a great investment.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

San Franciscans (the ones who oppose them moving) should stop being so greedy. The Bay Area for a long time already has stopped being a region centered on San Francisco.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Feinstein is indigenous to San Francisco.