If you missed my debut appearance on Twitter Spaces last night, you missed a whole lot of host Justin Hayes saying “we’ll just make one more try at getting Neil on the chat” while I figured out that I needed to update my iPhone app. You can relive the excitement, and the eventual conversation on the subject of “Why Isn’t There More Opposition to Taxpayer Handouts to Sports Teams?” that resulted between Justin, economist J.C. Bradbury, development subsidy researcher Michael Farren, Center Square reporter Jon Styf, and myself, by clicking here.
And now, on with the leftover news of the week:
- The $20 million in renovations Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is paying to add to Arizona State University’s arena in time for the 2022-23 NHL season … will not be ready in time for the 2022-23 NHL season. They should be ready by December, which means the team will either have to ask league permission to play in a substandard arena for a couple of months or will have to start the year on one hell of a road trip, either of which is hilarious if you’re not a Coyotes fan, which is to say for most everyone reading this.
- Worst Stadium Article Ever is a tough title to compete for, but this Tennessean piece on the Titans‘ proposed $1.2 billion stadium subsidy has a strong case, thanks to sentences like “Cooper’s spearheading a financing strategy that doesn’t require any taxpayer investment, with generous contributions from state leaders and the National Football League.” Does … does Tennessean reporter Sandy Mazza think that “state leaders” have money to spend that doesn’t come from taxpayers? Has she just given up under the strain of writing for a Gannett paper, and that’s why she got that master’s in film studies to prepare for a career change? I’m right there with her if so, the journalism industry is a death ride to nowhere, good thing it’s not the only thing standing between us and the collapse of what remains of democracy!
- Then again, “Olympics Could Provide Billion-Dollar Boost to LA’s Infrastructure” when a more accurate headline would be “Olympics Will Require Spending Billion Dollars to Upgrade LA’s Infrastructure” is pretty bad too, yes I’m talking to you, Front Office Sports. Are we doomed? We’re probably doomed.
- A CBC article that quotes a “communications and media management” professor as saying that even if companies that buy stadium naming rights don’t see their finances improve at all, it’s worth it for “brand awareness”? Most weeks a strong contender, maybe, but not nearly stupid enough in the new normal.
- Indy Eleven‘s three-years-dormant stadium plans may finally be moving forward, now that team owner Ersal Ozdemir has bought a plot of land for $7.6 million. (Ozdemir actually bought it last October, but just announced it now.) The USL team owner already has $112 million in state money signed off on, so now all he needs is the other $38 million for stadium costs, plus up to $1 billion to build a mixed-use district around the stadium, which could come from tax increment financing, aka, kicking back city property taxes on the development. Indianapolis really is dead-set on retaining its crown as king of the sports subsidy cities, no matter how many checks it has to write.
- Speaking of long-running sagas, the Ottawa Senators owners have finally won approval to build an arena at LeBreton Flats, which would be paid for by, uh, “Thursday’s announcement did not included details of the financing of the arena project or a timeline for when it would be completed,” okay, will check back once somebody has actual money to spend.
- And speaking of even more long-running sagas, NYC F.C. may now be looking at a temporary home in a soccer/track stadium in a public park on an island that is virtually impossible to get to without a car in a city where most people don’t drive, this is going to go just great!
- Four New York state residents are suing the state over its $1 billion Buffalo Bills subsidy on the grounds that the state constitution doesn’t allow public spending for the benefit of private corporations, which, nice try, but that ship has long sailed, that’s pretty much all the state does now.
- Anaheim is going to have to repay Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno $5 million in prep costs he spent on stadium planning before his deal fell apart because the city’s mayor was caught soliciting bribes in exchange for approving it, probably. Because of course it is, what did you expect, a happy ending?
It’s hard to pick the worst article, but I’ll focus on the SoCal ones…
The Inglewood people mover which Billboard Butts wants doesn’t even benefit the citizens of his own city – no direct stops in the central business district, the new Clippers arena, nor is it planned to connect to a second rail line to the south. After community complaints, the planned storage/ maintenance yard was adjusted to allow reconstruction of a popular supermarket that was marked for destruction in the original plan.
Not sure how many people actually bike to Olympic events.
The pace of any rail construction in Southern California is exceptionally slow. The two projects listed in the Front Office Sports (can’t call them FOS as that’s already taken) at least don’t have any underground portions which makes a 5-year construction barely possible.
The Angels link is a premium subscriber article. The OC Register would be fairly low on my paid subscription list. Having been to the Big A a few weeks ago (first time in 10 years) I can say that overall, it’s still quite a nice stadium (other than some needed restroom updates). Paid very close attention driving in to the surrounding properties – and yes Moreno would have got the land at a significantly less value.
The Randall’s Island article is informative. Of course it never talks about costs, which to add a transit stop would be huge. But if New York can spend a billion dollars on a project that only benefits the Bills, maybe they could find the money to improve access to the island, which would benefit everyone, not just NYCFC.
Randall’s Island is hugely successful as what it is, which is a place where half the city’s high school baseball and soccer teams can go play because it’s too inconvenient for anything else. Having more seats at Icahn Stadium wouldn’t really benefit any of those people.
But Neil…. that’s the genius of it…
I just knew if I waited long enough someone would suggest a back to the future at Randall’s Island plan for NYCFC.
I’m just disappointed it wasn’t the Cosmos mk II that did it…
As a former college track athlete and lifelong New Yorker, I find it extremely frustrating that a rinky-dink city like Eugene, Oregon is hosting the World Track Championships. With a little bit of effort, Icahn could be turned into a suitable venue for big track meets, and if Qatar (NYCFC’s owners) can be made to pay for it, even better
Randall’s Island is positioned where a subway extension would not be feasible. The MTA did run express bus shuttles to/from Randall’s Island when it hosted big events such as the Governors Ball music festival.
On an unrelated note, the sun sentinel is reporting “Fort Lauderdale officials are making it clear they’re not willing to wait four more years for a promised park to be built next to the stadium here, where the [inter Miami] team currently plays…[the team] had promised to build the park by mid-July 2022. But work has yet to begin.”
As much as I’m not excited about the money situation with Eleven Park, the fact it’s finally happening the same day much grimmer news has transpired is at least some solace I have in this world as a fan of this club.
I can stop playing the damn waiting game and go back to playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos.
“Abortions for some, expensive soccer stadiums for others!”
That’s dark.
Don’t blame Neil, he voted for Kodos.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIgSTjzrmRg?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=360]
We must move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!
I’m thinking of this from an exclusivity standpoint. You know, Davos, the Bilderbergs, all that stuff.
If you wanna move your homeless football team upmarket, you don’t just raise ticket prices… you build a stadium in a place nobody can get to. I mean, once you’ve got fans taking two trains, a bus, two cabs and a water taxi to get to the stadium…
What? They’re gonna complain about ticket and food prices???
I read somewhere that the Olympic Committee is getting low on cities to shakedown (more cities are on to the con) because of their outrageous demands.
The World Cup grifters aren’t far behind.
The 5 ring circus did leave Brazil and overburdened hot mess. Will cities ever stop this madness? Hey, a boy can dream…..
The IOC has fewer cities bidding, but all they really need is two at a time, and they’ve had no problem getting there.
I do not watch the Olympics, but the easiest and cheapest solution is to have a permanent Winter and Summer Olympic home. LA for the summer because they have the facilities for it ( including USC and UCLA for housing), and maybe a city in Europe for the winter games.
Except, the IOC is not looking for a solution. If you’re running a successful 3 card monte scam, you’re not looking for ideas to give the players a chance.
In fact, the IOC awarded the 1984 Summer Games to Los Angeles as its proposal called for using existing facilities. Coliseum for opening ceremonies, track events, and closing ceremonies. The Forum for basketball. Sports Arena for boxing. Rose Bowl for soccer. Pauley Pavilion for gymnastics. Dodger Stadium for baseball, which was a demonstration sport that year. Financially successful despite the Soviet Bloc boycott and resulting U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! jingoism.
My dream killed by reality (again) and a typo in my comment. Ouch! Tough day…..
Be that as it may, I think your original comment is correct. The IOC used to have an entire whittling down process of cities lining up to be fleeced. As the costs of hosting have risen (along with the unfunded obligations left behind as the IOC leaves town with six trainloads of sacks that have “swag” stencilled on the side) the IOC is finding it increasingly hard to con potential hosts into bidding. FIFA and others are not far behind.
I am hoping the day soon comes where they have to agree to pay a city to host on a cost plus basis, but I doubt that will happen in my lifetime. There’s always some bonehead corrupt elected official or dictator who needs an image shineup and doesn’t care how much it costs his/her people.
Still, it’s worth remembering that when the 2024 bids were up for consideration there was so little outside interest that the IOC passed a special resolution to award the 2024/28 games to the only two bidders for the 2024 games, Paris and LA.
As Neil points out, you only need one other city to run the con… (and as the Yankees showed, it doesn’t have to be at all a viable alternative) but isn’t it hopeful that everyone else bailed on 2024 and the IOC felt so uncertain about 2028 they decided to award it to the unsuccessful 2024 bidder?
I think it is.
Since they are the “Desert Dogs” the Coyotes should shack up with Vegas for a bit.
Oh yes! Coyote ugly, the gift that keeps on giving. Apparently this is the hill Gary’s going to die on.
Hey I think I figured it out! They’re saying there’s no taxpayer “investment” in the Titans’ subsidy because an investment is expected to yield a return. Since this is just throwing taxpayer money away, it’s not technically an investment. Accurate reporting, LOL!
That Ottawa article is rough. They should move the last graph about the unknown financing up higher. It should by the second graph.
It needs to explain in more detail how this is different than the deal Melnyk failed to get done.
Everything else being equal, it’s good that the Senators have a chance to stay and rebuild their fanbase with a better location. But the value of that isn’t infinite.
I’ve never been to Ottawa so I have no idea if downtown really needs to be transformed by an arena or not.