[af_vet_rr]

It is done with the understanding that having a business (in this case a baseball team) is going to generate far more revenue for the city in the long run than it's going to pay out to build that $200 million stadium.

I can think of many things that $200 million can be better spent on in DC, than a baseball stadium.

When cities concentrate on the basics (crime, trash, infrastructure, etc.), and keep taxes low across the board, the citizens and businesses alike are happy, and that means that pro athletic teams and businesses both will beat a path to their door.

[ironmike4242]

I can think of many things that $200 million can be better spent on in DC, than a baseball stadium.

This is a classic red herring thrown out in this argument. "We should be spending this money on schools, not stadiums!" Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. There IS NO POOL OF MONEY out there waiting to be spent. The money doesn't exist yet. The money to pay for the stadium would be generated during, and after the stadiums construction from increased tax revenue, liscencing fees, etc...

This model works in other cities, it can work in DC. But this nonsense about how DC should spend its money differently is just that.... nonsense. Good, so MLB is going to leave, and the Anacostia waterfront can remain a crime-ridden hell hole just as it is now. Filled with strip joints and check cashing stores.

Congrats DC, you're about to get exactly what you wanted! A populace dependant on the city council for its wellbeing.