Everyone thinks Peterson is a genius because the Colts are going to the Super Bowl. What if the Colts were battling with the Detroit Lions for 1st draft pick? Oh by the way there's another little tidbit to that deal that wasn't widely reported by the MSM - if the Colts fall below a certain number in revenue (in other words if Manning were gone and they became a stinker of a team) the City must kick in $$$$$$$ to keep the team from leaving town.
We are paying full bill for the stadium, and on top of that the Colts kept the naming rights revenue from Lucas Oil. At least when the previous administration sold the naming rights of "Hoosier Dome" to RCA the Convention Center authority received that revenue.
I think we should have received a better deal. I'm sure Irsay threatened to leave and move the team to Los Angeles. I doubt he'd received any better deals there. After all in California almost *EVERYTHING* must be put to a proposition. Though lately it seems the NFL is much in favor of awarding expansion franchises to cities that lose their teams - Cleveland and Houston for example. Other teams like the Cowboys are kicking in their own money to build their new stadium.
here in michigan we benefit from nfl team ownership that flaunts its own cash (with some public subsidies no doubt..)and builds its own stadium and doesn't have to sell the naming rights. problem is, they ain't so good at runnin football teams, and makin cars ain't workin out for 'em too much either lately. so go figure. at least you have a team that occasionally plays past december.