Posted on 12/15/2004 7:04:10 AM PST by ZGuy
Buffalo is problematic because of weather.
The top media markets without a team are: Washington #8, Sacramento #19, Orlando #20, Portland #24, Indianapolis #25, Hartford #27, Charlotte #28, Raleigh-Durham #29, Nashville #30.
For purposes of TV, Washington is the big prize. The only thing that would be comparable is somewhere in NC where the Charlotte and R-D areas would broadcast the games. Sacramento already shares the SF and Oakland markets and Orlando shares the Miami and Tampa Bay markets. It's clear that DC is the first, best option for MLB. Plus, it's a moneymaker for the team. In DC, the stadium could be made entirely of luxury boxes.
That $1 billion surplus Virginia has could build a Loudoun County Stadium. They had a deal - and if Linda Cropp sinks it, then Northern Virginia should be willing to step in.
Jeez, why can't they use RFK? (Aside from the fact that it's in a neighborhood that makes Fallujah look like Rodeo Drive, that is.)
}:-)4
That's a good point from the investor side.
I always thought stadiums were municipal endeavors designed to increase the general desirability of the city and to increase tax revenues over the long term.
But it seems Cropp is a dunderhead and just doesn't get it.
Last month she almost nixed Mayor Williams' plan to have the new stadium over on South Capitol Street, which is from every perspective an ideal spot. Close to major roads, slightly rundown and in need of renovation, not too far from downtown DC, etc. (did they ever decide what to do, or is that still undecided).
Cropp's absurd alternative was to go next to the existing RFK way out on East Capitol Street, a place where few people want to go and with no real possibility of urban renewal. The traffic out there from Virginia fans would be miniscule, and enhanced tax revenues would be negligible.
Cropp can't think beyond the nose on her face, or more likely the reach of her extended palm.
There are always options. Richmond. Charlotte. LA. Austin.
Prolly more places than I am thinking now.
There always options. Its real estate. There a lots of houses. Lots of boats. Lots of cars.
Cropp will have to go. Somewhere I've got my 1974 Topps "Washington Nat'l League" cards packed away - I'm still awaiting the arrival of Nate Colbert & Co.! Please don't tell me we're in the middle of a repeat performance, only this time brought on by politicians rather than Mother Nature!
good point.
Virginia has a $1 billion surplus, and you want to use to support millionaires (players) and billionaires (owners). How bout giving some tax relief to the little guy. Geez, this is a conservative site, wanting taxpayers to pay for the fun and games.
Virginia (correctly) rejected MLB's welfare-for-millionaires pitch.
That money belongs to the taxpayers of Virginia, and should be refunded.
No corporate-welfare stadium deals. We chased them out of Virginia once, and if they try to slither back we'll do it again.
God, not Loudoun County. That would be like putting a team in Siberia. If you're going to do NoVa, Crystal City is the way to go.
Absolutely not, unless the owners are willing to pay for about $100 million worth of additional roads and Metro capacity on top of everything else.
Finally, a post that belongs on FR rather than DU.
Personally, I hope that the whole three-year mess, capped with this wedgie from the DC Council, will help cure major league sports of the habit of demanding that the taxpayers buy them a new stadium as soon as the paint starts to peel on the old one.
San Francisco refused and was able to keep their team, though I think their were some tax and zoning incentives. Any others?
If the cities want the owners to pay 50% or even more then the cityies should give them tax breaks and not take any extra revenue from the stadium.
If I was an owner I would tell them I would pay 100% of the cost, IF and only IF, they NOT collect taxes on the propety improvements, Food, parking, ticket sales etc. They would get increased taxes form the employees and the hotel tax revenue would go up.
You need to stay in either Arlington or Alexandria counties (maybe some parts of Fairfax close in) if you want to do NoVa. Otherwise, fans from Maryland have no incentive to stop going to Orioles games.
Congested downtown turdville DC needs a baseball team like I need a gaping, bloody, sucking chest wound.
Three main reasons: space, money, and traffic.
The proposed Northern Virginia site at Dulles is a HUGELY more attractive - and practical - site!
You need to take a look at Cincinnati. What a mess! Mike Brown threatened to leave if he didn't get a new stadium, then the Reds jumped on the bandwagon and demanded a new stadium, as well. The stupid taxpayers of Hamilton County voted for a 1% sales tax increase to pay for them. Guess what? The tax revenue isn't even close to what they thought it would be. They were also going to develop the land around the stadiums, but never did. Cincinnati and Hamilton County are both in the red. Not much revenue is being generated by these white elephants. On the other side of the river, Kentucky is booming from their well-planned development -- all without sports stadiums.
Who cares if baseball is being played in the desert all summer as long as the fans and players are nice and comfortable inside a temperature controlled domed stadium?
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