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Sports Teams Holding Municipalities Hostage

  • How do y'all feel about teams threatening to leave if they don't get public financing on certain projects? Even worse IMO if its a stadium/arena actually owned by the team and now a joint ownership or sports authority-type setup.

    I know the Bills have threatened to leave. I think the Jaguars owner has before. Carolina probably would use it as leverage in this case.

    How do you think it would go over if another business did this? Do other business do it? Does a company like Exxon demand municipalities to finance capital improvement or they leave?

    The Panthers Want $200 Million In Public Funding To Renovate Their 17-Year-Old Stadium

    Bank of America Stadium is a perfectly modern and lovely venue that hosts 10 football games a year. But Panthers owner Jerry Richardson wants more! He wants new escalators! A new video board! Better wi-fi in the stadium! And he wants youto pay for most of the upgrades.

    m.deadspin.com
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    "A political call, the fall guy accord...We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train..."

    BamaLivesFootba

  • BamaLivesFootba said...

    How do y'all feel about teams threatening to leave if they don't get public financing on certain projects? Even worse IMO if its a stadium/arena actually owned by the team and now a joint ownership or sports authority-type setup.

    I know the Bills have threatened to leave. I think the Jaguars owner has before. Carolina probably would use it as leverage in this case.

    How do you think it would go over if another business did this? Do other business do it? Does a company like Exxon demand municipalities to finance capital improvement or they leave?

    I think it's pathetic. Especially for the politicians, I mean football isn't that important and if politicians would start saying no this crap would end.

    I think if the NFL can do it so should other businesses, I mean Exxon contributes far more to Texas than any NFL team.

    TroyTide

  • As a Bills fan, I hate it. Hell, as a fan in general, I hate it. I understand that if contracts haven't been fulfilled the owners would want to seek recourse, but to hold a fanbase and municipality hostage in a cash grab is sickening and it's no way to treat your fans.

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    CMXI

  • BamaLivesFootba said...

    How do y'all feel about teams threatening to leave if they don't get public financing on certain projects? Even worse IMO if its a stadium/arena actually owned by the team and now a joint ownership or sports authority-type setup.

    I know the Bills have threatened to leave. I think the Jaguars owner has before. Carolina probably would use it as leverage in this case.

    How do you think it would go over if another business did this? Do other business do it? Does a company like Exxon demand municipalities to finance capital improvement or they leave?

    They can only be held hostage, if they let themselves. It's a two way street.

    Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

    MJRuffalo

  • The Falcons are pulling this crap and as far as I am concerned they can leave. The Georgia Dome does not need millions to be renovatated and in the Atlanta/ metro Atlanta area there are not enough police, schools closing, not enough firemen, ect. due to lack of funding. How in the hell can anyone justify giving all that money to the frickin Dome when we have so many other, more important, problems that the money could be used to alleviate?

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    mtreber1 ●

  • mtreber1 said...

    The Falcons are pulling this crap and as far as I am concerned they can leave. The Georgia Dome does not need millions to be renovatated and in the Atlanta/ metro Atlanta area there are not enough police, schools closing, not enough firemen, ect. due to lack of funding. How in the hell can anyone justify giving all that money to the frickin Dome when we have so many other, more important, problems that the money could be used to alleviate?

    They aren't going to renovate it, they are going to build a new one. But you are right about everything else.

    TroyTide

  • I'll preface by saying I don't support the public having to foot any bills for the building of stadiums. That's ridiculous. That said, considering what all the facility could be used for besides just the main sport at hand (convention space, concerts, etc.) and the general attraction of people to the city itself, there is a benefit in the long run I think from a tourism standpoint. Not that I think most of these stadiums or their owners really do a proper job utilizing the space to its full potential or working with the city itself to get people out and about while they're in town.

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    sf2k4

  • sf2k4 said...

    I'll preface by saying I don't support the public having to foot any bills for the building of stadiums. That's ridiculous. That said, considering what all the facility could be used for besides just the main sport at hand (convention space, concerts, etc.) and the general attraction of people to the city itself, there is a benefit in the long run I think from a tourism standpoint. Not that I think most of these stadiums or their owners really do a proper job utilizing the space to its full potential or working with the city itself to get people out and about while they're in town.

    That's noble indeed, but this stadium is wholly owned and operated by the Panthers. I could understanding financing infrastructure improvements around the area, but asking to improve their own capital is beyond ridiculous.

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    "A political call, the fall guy accord...We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train..."

    BamaLivesFootba

  • BamaLivesFootba said...

    That's noble indeed, but this stadium is wholly owned and operated by the Panthers. I could understanding financing infrastructure improvements around the area, but asking to improve their own capital is beyond ridiculous.

    Like I said, I don't support the people having to pay for something they won't own here. I MAY be more inclined to support it if the stadium owners did what I mentioned above, but to this day I haven't seen that happen to a high enough degree.

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    sf2k4

  • Kings are going to SEATTLE!!! IMO

    dkerns

  • TroyTide said...

    They aren't going to renovate it, they are going to build a new one. But you are right about everything else.

    I know. My point is that why not take some money to renovate and save millions versus building a new one. There is nothing majorly wrong with the Dome. (Guess I could have worded it better). It just pisses me off to no end that with Georgia being one of the hardest hit states in this economy how anyone can justify the grotesque amount of money the Falcons are demanding to build a new stadium. Let them go.

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    mtreber1 ●

  • BamaLivesFootba said...

    That's noble indeed, but this stadium is wholly owned and operated by the Panthers. I could understanding financing infrastructure improvements around the area, but asking to improve their own capital is beyond ridiculous.

    And I realize it's different when a professional team plays in your arena, but for example, I attended the MoT Ball here in Mobile for Mardis Gras and, as I'm sure you know, they hold them in the Mobile Civic Center (where I think they play a little hockey/basketball?). Stuff like that in the offseason is a great way to use the space. I realize that in the NFL (and college) we turn these arenas into cathedrals and act like the turf or floor is "sacred space," but c'mon. Get your money's worth from usage of the space.

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    sf2k4

  • mtreber1 said...

    I know. My point is that why not take some money to renovate and save millions versus building a new one. There is nothing majorly wrong with the Dome. (Guess I could have worded it better). It just pisses me off to no end that with Georgia being one of the hardest hit states in this economy how anyone can justify the grotesque amount of money the Falcons are demanding to build a new stadium. Let them go.

    There is nothing wrong with the Dome at all.

    TroyTide

  • sf2k4 said...

    And I realize it's different when a professional team plays in your arena, but for example, I attended the MoT Ball here in Mobile for Mardis Gras and, as I'm sure you know, they hold them in the Mobile Civic Center (where I think they play a little hockey/basketball?). Stuff like that in the offseason is a great way to use the space. I realize that in the NFL (and college) we turn these arenas into cathedrals and act like the turf or floor is "sacred space," but c'mon. Get your money's worth from usage of the space.

    Nah. Civic center was a completely ish-show. It's had minor league tenants before but it's essentially empty all year around. I could write pages about music promoters, councilmen and shady business guys who have turned mobile proper into a place notorious for getting ripped off for concerts and sports and no one really comes anymore.

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    "A political call, the fall guy accord...We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train..."

    BamaLivesFootba

  • This is one if the hardest and most difficult situations to take sides.

    Stadiums and franchises add immense value to a city. The city benefits from the franchise. So there is that whole argument (not going to write an essay)

    Then you have billionaires asking for welfare. So there is that argument.

    I guess I feel that for a billionaire to need help funding something is ridiculous. But I understand the billionaires arguement.

    This is why I do not wish a political career upon anyone.

    This post was edited by beardown2489 on 2/13/2013 at 5:53 PM

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    beardown2489 ●

  • sf2k4 said...

    And I realize it's different when a professional team plays in your arena, but for example, I attended the MoT Ball here in Mobile for Mardis Gras and, as I'm sure you know, they hold them in the Mobile Civic Center (where I think they play a little hockey/basketball?). Stuff like that in the offseason is a great way to use the space. I realize that in the NFL (and college) we turn these arenas into cathedrals and act like the turf or floor is "sacred space," but c'mon. Get your money's worth from usage of the space.

    The problem is that most stadiums, especially football, really are not set up for anything else. The Georgia Dome, when first built, was supposed to host large concerts. It did for a short time until it became glaringly obvious that the sound quality sucked. The city of Atlanta then had to build a new arena specifically for concerts.

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    mtreber1 ●

  • I'm from Chicago but ill I think the Minnesota Vikings is a perfect example for this discussion.

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    beardown2489 ●

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