Running late today, let’s do a speed round:
- Upkeep costs for the Cleveland Guardians stadium and Cavaliers arena continue to climb, with one estimate placing them at $261 million, and the county-run Gateway Economic Development Corp. still doesn’t have money identified to pay for them. “We need to figure this out,” said Gateway board chair Virginia “GiGi” Benjamin; given that the Guardians’ and Cavs’ leases only run though 2036 and 2034 respectively, Gateway could always just not spend the money and dare the teams to break their leases a few years early, or at least ask the team owners to kick in a bit more if they don’t want Gateway to default, but still nobody seems to be considering that option, or at least pricing out whether it would be cheaper than spending $261 million.
- The Tennessee Titans owners are seeking another $75 million for a pedestrian bridge to their new stadium on top of $1.26 billion to build the stadium itself, part of $700 million in public spending set aside for the stadium area, move over, Indiana, there may be a new grift-that-keeps-on-giving champion.
- Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s lawsuit to get the city of Inglewood to repay him for about $400 million in roads, sidewalks, utilities, and other “public services” for his otherwise privately funded stadium has ended in a judge confirming that the agreement for Inglewood to cover those costs was nullified in a previous court ruling, so sucks to be you, Stan Kroenke. Expect an appeal, and for the two sides to try to settle out of court for a smaller amount.
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver said it is his “hope and belief that the Trail Blazers can be successful in Portland, Oregon” but that they “need a state-of-the-art arena” but that he’s talked to Blazers owner Tom Dundon and wants to “lower the temperature bit in these negotiations,” all of which are very Adam Silver things to say. It seems like Silver would like for Dundon to find a way to accept a very large taxpayer check while also ensuring that the check is as large as possible, which is why the owners pay him the big bucks.
- The Kansas City Star says the key difference between K.C. giving Royals owner $600 million toward a new stadium and giving Current owners Angie and Chris Long $185 million toward an expanded stadium is that the Longs are the ones selling the bonds instead of the city, which will “protect the city in the case of shortfalls.” Except that the Longs will get to repay their bonds with city sales tax revenues, so if there’s no shortfall in those, city residents are still on the hook for $185 million. Maybe all of Kansas City journalists need remedial economics lessons?
- The Washington Commanders parking garages are no longer set to be translucent, now they will just be set in a featureless void or way far in the distance instead.
- Longshot recidivist Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson (not that one) says he would resolve the Bears stadium battle by paying to build a dome atop Soldier Field and sell the Bears owners land for a new practice facility and give the team (and nearby homeowners) property tax breaks, at a cost of nobody has asked him, the media are just reprinting his campaign glurge, this is fine.
My favorite part about Willie Wilson’s promise is that Soldier Field is already city owned (park district owned to be exact), and therefore already exempt from property tax. Additionally, the Bears have invested 100’s of millions into their practice facility and have no desire to move from the North Shore where all theiransions are.
“Maybe all of Kansas City journalists need remedial economics lessons?”
These journalists, not just in KC but in virtually all of North America, know that these are bad deals with little to no economic justifications. It’s just that the dynamics of local/regional media today mean that revenue generation (ergo, the livelihoods of everyone still in the newsrooms) is highly dependent on access to the most powerful and influential figures in their respective markets. In those conditions, journalists are basically *incentivized* to mislead the general public in order to keep currying favor with the so-called “civic leaders” and “community assets.”
If the type of people who can afford to buy up entire “big league” franchises can acquire anything with their money, power, and control, it would be even more money, power, and control. And that’s exactly what each and every one of them does.
What actual revenue generation requires access to Very Important People, though? It’s not like news outlets are even really in the business anymore of providing inside information — “What time is the Super Bowl?” is public knowledge — and you can get the same press releases for reprinting whether or not you’re on the shit list of the local mayor or team owner.
It’s more likely than ever that your news outlet will be bought by a local rich guy, and that he then won’t give you enough time to do more than transcribe 10 press releases a day and spend any remaining time coming up with clickbait headlines. But is there some new actual monetary reward for sucking up to sports owners that I’m missing?
Willie Wilson says a lot of silly stuff that sites like Block Club are happy to repeat. No one here takes him seriously, except for when he’s giving away gas
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-businessman-plans-up-500k-gas-groceries-giveaways-april
No one takes him seriously, except the 10% of people who vote for him every four years.
Nine percent in 2023 (mayor), four percent in 2020 (US Senate), 11 percent in 2019 (mayor), 11 percent in 2015 (mayor).
I DO love that in the 2020 Senate campaign he ran as a member of the “Willie Wilson Party.” As we all know, ain’t no party like a Willie Wilson party.
“…ain’t no party like a Willie Wilson party.”
If I had known it was going to be that kind of party, something something mashed potatoes.