February 23, 2003
Phils, Eagles stiffing city on box revenue
When the city of Philadelphia spent $8 million to build luxury boxes at Veterans Stadium for the Phillies and Eagles in 1985, the deal was that the teams would start sharing the proceeds starting in 2001. Only two problems: 1) the teams have refused to pay the city its share, expected to be upwards of $4 million a year; 2) the Vet is slated to be torn down this fall anyway, at which point there will be no more box money to share. "The amazing thing," city controller Jonathan Saidel told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "is that we made a deal to build the boxes, and at the time set in the future when we would begin to get the revenue, the full-court press comes into effect that the teams needed new stadiums."
