Posted on 07/23/2017 9:56:38 AM PDT by ptsal
[snip]Subsidizing ballparks for billionaire owners and millionaire players, however, shouldn't be part of the equation. According to the Brookings Institution, the stadium loophole has cost federal taxpayers $3.2 billion for 36 professional sports facilities since 2000.
Maybe bringing together two senators from vastly different states and from widely different ideologies — U.S. Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat — will help inspire a fractious Congress to work together on a bipartisan bill to cut federal subsidies for sports stadiums.
The bill would end the federal tax giveaway for municipal bonds used to fund sports stadiums.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Both the NFL and NCAA have taken stances that “punish” conservative local politics. This makes complete sense to end those same local tax payers from being forced to support those bigots.
I have never understood why we structures the Romans built are still in use, but stadiums wear out in a few years.
Good one.
And, now, you are not even allowed to bring in your own food and drink. You need to pony up for vastly overpriced refreshments.
GOOD START.
Step TWO: outlaw companies from naming a city stadium unless they've donate more than half the cost of the stadium.
American taxpayers pay 97% of a stadium's costs - then some showboating company waltzes into the city with 2% or 3% of the price - and is given naming rights.
That's a crime - or should be..
Football and baseball stadiums are different configurations. Both lose. Baseball stadiums have gotten smaller, 40-45k seats. Football needs 80k seats for Super Bowl consideration. Threats to move bring out the cowardice in politicians. Is a law really needed to cover their backs? Unfortunately we all know the answer. LA did it right for decades, not playing their game in the nations biggest market. When you got USC who needs the pros?
The US Chamber of Commerce Lobby is still pooping apple seeds knowing their hammer is not as big.
I still say they should have took the roof off of the Metrodome, sealed its entrances and such, fill it with water, stock it with fish and have fishing competitions, just think how many ice rinks could ya make in that thing in the winter? Better yet, Just flood it and make it a giant ice rink. Have Viking funeral ships burnt there regularly with fireworks displays.
But NO,, artificial turf surfaces rules.. I wonder how much turf vendors kick back to politico types and stadium board members.. or do they just get a free suite to use?
Lambert Field?
No tax money should be used to build these billionaire playpens. I wouldn’t care if they never played another game of NFL, MLB,or NBA again.
Somehow I doubt it.
Swamp creatures always get their subsidies and bailouts.
Was Joe Robbie Stadium the last privately financed stadium?
*************************************************
No. Jerry Jones financed Cowboys Stadium in Arlington TX, which is now named AT&T Stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys (the most valuable sports franchise), various college games, TX high school football playoffs, MotoX, tractor pulls, concerts, etc. are held there.
The city of Arlington paid for some of the infrastructure (roads, parking, streetlights, exterior plumbing, etc.) and has reaped millions of $$$ from the influx of hotels, shopping, bars and restaurants that began business in the area.
Since the topic was regarding Federal taxpayers’ dollars, I think this is at least one example where that is not true.
And while you’re at it, stop taking funds from bridge and port authorities for stadiums - then upping the tolls in a few years because there’s no money for maintenance......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.