StarNews:
The Atlanta Braves ranked 27th out of 30 clubs in their (farm) system for winning percentage in 2011; 15th out of 30 clubs for fan attendance.
They are second-worst in the National League in several categories and second worst in Major League baseball in others.
StarNews (Chad Adams):
The old Meadowlands stadium was demolished even though taxpayers are still on the hook for part of the $110 million cost of construction. The new world champion Giants needed a new place to play.
Folks in Seattle, Philadelphia and Indianapolis are still paying for their stadiums that have also been torn down, according to The New York Times. The Times also documented that Houston, Memphis, Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Mo., are paying for stadiums/arenas that have been abandoned by the teams for whom they were built.
Even the Florida Marlins bilked taxpayers to the tune of $2.4 billion after telling local folks that they didn’t have the money to build a stadium and would leave without it. Turns out the Marlins had plenty of money to cover a significant chunk of the stadium but didn’t want to.
But those are big cities with big names, one might say. True, but even here in North Carolina we have our share of taxpayer sport bilking. Winston-Salem and Forsyth County funded a stadium they were told would cost $22.6 million, but cost overruns have pushed that figure to almost $50 million now. Leaders claimed the ball stadium a success in their first year, but that became laughable when the Winston-Salem Dash would not reveal their expenses, citing “trade secrets” when asked.
In spite of promises to the contrary, a new team signing a lease doesn’t bind them to the taxpayer obligation. The lease could be broken, but the taxpayer obligation would remain.
Stadium petition:
http://www.scribd.com/ben_mccoy_8/d/81953051-Stadium-Petition-FINAL-Contact-Sheet
Limiting city spending petition:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/81958234
Increased transparency petition:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/81958289See More
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this is a humorous blog with funny facts
ReplyDeleteThis is humorous if you enjoy reading about millionaires and billionaires requiring tax payers to pay for their toys, and government officials allowing it to happen.
ReplyDeleteIt's also so humorous because it doesn't seem to give you the whole story or all the facts.
ReplyDelete