Monopsony, Legislators, and Subsidies
Competition is a good thing, right? So why not allow the various communities within your state to compete with one another to attract a big business? Of course, never mind that the business is already...
View ArticleStadium Naming Fun
Lackawanna County stadium naming contract must be made public, state says What a great headline! Here is how the story begins: A naming-rights agreement for the county-owned baseball stadium is public...
View ArticleHey, honey, I have options
While the Minnesota Legislature seemed willing to spend money like Michael Jordan, one thing it didn't buy was the new plan for a Vikings stadium. Perhaps it's due to a lousy plan, but remember this is...
View ArticleStadium Debt
Stadium debt, in some cases, hangs around a lot longer than the teams that once played in them. From the Houston Chronicle comes this story that the vacant Astrodome "carries as much as $32 million in...
View ArticleEvidence that I am an Obstacle to Civic Progress
The public debate about a new arena for the Oilers has been going on for some time up here. Last weekend, the local paper, the Edmonton Journal, published several articles about the proposed new hockey...
View Article"Trade the Saints to Minneapolis for the Timberwolves"
John Spry, an economist with St. Thomas University in the Twin Cities, has written an opinion piece that appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. In it, he takes issue with proposals to build a new...
View ArticleIs New Orelans still a Big League City?
This article in today's NY Sun, "Pro Sports Far From Easy in New Orleans," points out the difficulties facing New Orleans' two big sports teams. It would certainly look bad for either the NBA or NFL to...
View ArticleStadium Issue in Santa Clara
The San Francisco 49ers and the Santa Clara City Council have negotiated a deal whereby the NFL franchise will get a new $937 million stadium with seating for 68,500. The city's contribution to this is...
View ArticlePortugal's Hangover
Portugal hosted Euro 2004, a fantastic tournament with a surprise winner in Greece. But as the financial crisis unfolds, some Portugese feel a tinge of regret over the expense involved. Not just the...
View ArticleCowboys Stadium Financing
This story from the Dallas Morning News has some good details on the public/private contributions to paying off the bonds which support the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium. Both public and personal Dallas...
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