Football lunacy

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
People just love their football. Interestingly, the Pontiac Silverdome was built in 1975 at a cost of $55.7 Million dollars. It was sold in 2009 for $583,000. Yeah, that was a bargain when built apparently.
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
It brought in way more than it cost to build and was a financial burden on the city so it still worked out.

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layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
It's "government math", what else would you expect? These things should NEVER be built with tax dollars to start with. Why subsidize a business that produces nothing tangible and few well paying jobs? Why subsidize ANY business for that matter.
 

zorry

Veteran Expediter
You subsidize a stadium for the tax dollars it pulls in and the revenue to surrounding businesses.
It just has to the right facility in the right location.
A stadium can revitalize an area. Surrounding businesses can attract year round tourists.
 

WanderngFool

Active Expediter
It's "government math", what else would you expect? These things should NEVER be built with tax dollars to start with. Why subsidize a business that produces nothing tangible and few well paying jobs? Why subsidize ANY business for that matter.

We subsidize religion and what they produce is anything but tangible. lol
 

muttly

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
The Silverdome was a great stadium to watch a football game. It seated 80,000 (way too many for a pro team) and use to rock when they could sell it out. Drawbacks were bad location for other businesses and too much snow collapsing the plastic dome on top. Made a mess.
 
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zorry

Veteran Expediter
Well, that could be a philosophical argument.
I'm not a philosopher so you're off the hook on that comment.
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
It's "government math", what else would you expect? These things should NEVER be built with tax dollars to start with. Why subsidize a business that produces nothing tangible and few well paying jobs? Why subsidize ANY business for that matter.

They are built with public and private money based on what the community and tax payers want. They bring in tons of revenue and visitors which means huge things for the communities and businesses around them which is why people want them.

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layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Effectively, Yes...




OH GOODY!! :p

Effectively, NO! It is not the government's money to take or lose. So not taking the money from someone, is NOT a subsidy. A subsidy is where you take the money from George of the Jungle, out of his banana fund, and give it to Flipper to buy fish.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
They are built with public and private money based on what the community and tax payers want. They bring in tons of revenue and visitors which means huge things for the communities and businesses around them which is why people want them.

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There is some fancy term for this but I don't recall what it is. That is not considered correct by many economists. They often cause much lower growth.

"The short answer to this question is "No." When studying this issue, almost all economists and development specialists (at least those who work independently and not for a chamber of commerce or similar organization) conclude that the rate of return a city or metropolitan area receives for its investment is generally below that of alternative projects. In addition, evidence suggests that cities and metro areas that have invested heavily in sports stadiums and arenas have, on average, experienced slower income growth than those that have not."


Should Cities Pay for Sports Facilities?
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
I think it is ok for a city to purchase a team and arena IF they actually own it. A ongoing success story with this is the Green Bay Packers. Sometimes it works and sometimes the taxpayers are on the hook.
 

WanderngFool

Active Expediter
OH GOODY!! :p

Effectively, NO! It is not the government's money to take or lose. So not taking the money from someone, is NOT a subsidy. A subsidy is where you take the money from George of the Jungle, out of his banana fund, and give it to Flipper to buy fish.

Would it be a subsidy if they were taxed and the government handed them the money to pay the taxes with? Same thing.

Here I'm about to make up a brand new expression. "A penny saved is a penny earned". lol I think it's got a ring to it. Might be around for awhile. :)
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Would it be a subsidy if they were taxed and the government handed them the money to pay the taxes with? Same thing.

Here I'm about to make up a brand new expression. "A penny saved is a penny earned". lol I think it's got a ring to it. Might be around for awhile. :)

Why tax ANY income? Income taxes, the more progressive the worse they are, are counter productive. IF we must have an income tax, everyone should pay the same rate. I prefer a sales tax. One rate.

"Penny saved is a penny earned" is anti-Marxism/socialism. The Marxist/socialist says "A penny confiscated is a penny earned for the government" They also say,
"A penny borrowed is almost as good as a penny confiscated"
 
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