I should probably have something to say about a week in which hedge-fund operators and day traders went to war over who could outgrift each other, but you know, I think let’s just leave that right there. On to the news!
- After a lengthy approval process that didn’t involve much in the way of public subsidies, Steve Ballmer’s Los Angeles Clippers project will be taking advantage of the city’s ability to seize land by eminent domain, after the city council approved the move on Tuesday. Eminent domain can only be used for projects that are for a public use, and the arena will be privately owned and operated, but the city’s lawyers say the arena qualifies because it will provide residents with “access to amusement, enjoyment and recreation.” For, you know, a price. I don’t know if Netflix has any plans for a new headquarters, but clearly they should be thinking of getting in on this racket as well.
- The other day when discussing plans to redevelopment St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field site, I neglected to include images of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadiums that all seven approved developers provided as options in their proposals. Which is fine, as they’re pretty boring! One just slapped on a blue polygon with a Rays logo on it! But there is one with a pitcher throwing out of the stretch for some reason despite there being runners on second and third (or near them, anyway), so feel free to enjoy that.
- Speaking of grifting, MLS owners inserted a loophole in their new collective bargaining agreement with their players that would let them cancel the entire thing with one month’s notice if the pandemic kept cutting into profits, and now that’s exactly what they’re doing, probably leading to a lockout starting today, though the union offered $53 million in last-minute concessions last night. As always, you got to have a con in this land of milk and honey.
- The total construction cost of North American sports venues opening in 2021 is expected to drop to $5.8 billion from last year’s record $8.9 billion, when the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, and Texas Rangers all opened new billion-dollar-plus stadiums. This will likely be a lull of at least a couple of years in part thanks to the pandemic and no one rushing to open new buildings when you can’t sell tickets in them yet anyway, but anyone thinking that this is some kind of permanent sea change hasn’t been reading this website for the last 23 years.
- On that note, $16.2 million in public money so a golf resort in North Carolina can build a new hotel? Sure, why not!
- Texas gives extra school funding to districts that give property tax abatements to developers. Really you don’t need to know anything more than that, but if you’re interested, click the link for a brief interview once you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor.
2022 will have even less completed projects. Islanders, Seattle Kraken and UAB Football all will be finished this year.
I envision this whole decade being slow for sport venue construction. Maybe the Jays and Bills at the end of the decade. The jags might play footsie with London. No much else
A’s, Rays, Diamondbacks, Indians, White Sox, Orioles, Panthers, Washington F.T., Bills, Titans, Cavaliers, Knicks, Clippers, Suns, Flames, Coyotes, Senators are all either now or about to be seeking/getting new/renovated buildings. And that’s without getting into MLS, which will probably have close to 40 teams by the time the decade is over, or surprise teams that demand new stadiums out of the blue. (I didn’t have either the Braves or the Rangers on my bingo card for this last decade.)
I can imagine the nba. mls, and nhl keeping you busy. But MLB and the NFL? I agree with Washington for the NFL but given the experience with the Rams, Raiders and Bolts and considering Nashville and Charlotte are on the rise I think things will be quiet on that front. I think Buffalo would use public funds to keep the Bills since they are so ingrained in the culture.
For MLB? Compare DC councils actions in the late 90’s/early 2000s when the Expos were rumored to be available and compare that to the mayor of Nashville’s words two year ago, “we’re flattered MLB is interested in us but we are focused on the MLS”. 180 degrees.
What was good enough for the Dodgers and a bloodless Walter O’Malley when they had Chavez Ravine handed to them for a ballpark (“displaced residents?…screw ’em!”) is still apparently good enough for the Clippers and one of the world’s richest men.
As for a new ballpark in Tampa Bay, one basic fact that the Rays and Marlins have been proving for nearly three decades is that Florida is much better at producing baseball PLAYERS than it ever has been at producing baseball FANS.
Miami’s issue is that they tanked the team too much and the incomes are poor. Tampa’s issue is that they are a service economy and very spread out. You know who is also a service economy Las Vegas and they work at night no doubt!! Both are great TV markets I think MLB could do better with one (Marlins) and move the Rays
But baseball has never really drawn in either market. No question that both Miami-Dade County and Tampa-St. Pete have great demographics, but there’s simply not enough interest in either to support an MLB team. It’s the same line of reasoning that compels the NHL to remain in Phoenix even though it’s never been more than a lukewarm hockey market…
I think the best compromise at keeping MLB in Florida would be to let Sternberg move the Rays to Montreal (or wherever he can find people willing to build him a new ballpark) and let the Marlins farm a few select series to the Suncoast Dome every year, but they’d only be splitting games between TWO markets that don’t pay to watch games or buy merch.
OK — even for the goofy stadium renderings often highlighted on this site, that Rays one is weird. I don’t mind the pitcher in the stretch so much (a handful of pitchers prefer that stance) as the “near them” baserunners. Why is the guy on third standing in fair territory? Why is the guy on second on the wrong side of second? Why does the first-base coach look like he’s getting a running start? (Chased by random rabid squirrel?)
Yet, even so, the defenders are in correct positions for an infield shift, so the artist is down with the latest defensive metrics, if not baserunning…
The article is behind the paywall. Can someone copy and paste the list of new venues opening this year? I can’t think of major league venues
In 2021? Per the article: New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, Phoenix Suns renovation, Austin FC, U of Texas. Plus another couple billion in something that’s not listed in the article. (There’s no full list included, just highlights.)