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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMeet the Billionaires that want taxpayers to pay for their new Roman Colosseums
Stan Kroenke, the owner of the St. Louis Rams, is worth $5.3 billion and is the NFLs second-wealthiest owner, according to Forbes. Kroenke and the Rams have repeatedly asked the city of St. Louis for more than $700 million in public funds to renovate the Edward Jones Dome, but the city rejected the latest plan in July. There was nobody in St. Louis who thought that the Rams proposal was a good idea, other than the Rams, the chief of staff to St. Louis mayor Francis Slay said at the time. But that doesnt mean Kroenke is done trying: instead of renovations, the team, St. Louis, and the state of Missouri are now talking about building an entirely new stadium, surely with the help of public funds, instead of renovating the Dome.
Stephen Ross, a real estate developer who owns the Miami Dolphins, is the third-wealthiest owner in the NFL with a net worth of $4.8 billion, according to Forbes. The Dolphins are worth $1.06 billion, making them the 25th most valuable sports franchise in the world. Ross, a real estate developer, asked taxpayers for $380 million in public funds to renovate Sun Life Stadium so that it could host future Super Bowls. The Florida state legislature ended its last session without voting on the project, though, so Ross and the Dolphins began issuing threats to leave south Florida, like all jilted owners do. Ross then started a political action committee, apparently with the intent of targeting state representatives who werent on board with his plan. To make a point, Ross and the Dolphins submitted a ridiculous bid to host the 2015 Super Bowl that proposed playing the game not in Sun Life Stadium but on board an aircraft carrier parked in Miamis harbor. The city of Miami, by the way, is facing decades of debt brought on by the boondoggle stadium deal it gave Major League Baseballs Miami Marlins. Neither that nor Ross wealth will prevent him from coming back to taxpayers in the future.
Arthur Blank, the $1.7-billion owner of the Atlanta Falcons, is the 10th-wealthiest owner in the NFL. The Atlanta city council approved $200 million in public funds to help build a new stadium for the Falcons, even though their current home, the Georgia Dome, is only 21 years old. The Dome is no slouch: its still the annual home of a major bowl game and marquee college football games, it regularly hosts the Southeastern Conference basketball tournament, and it hosted the mens basketball Final Four in 2013. What it doesnt have are luxury suites that will boost the Falcons value and Blanks net worth into the ranks of other NFL teams and owners. The Falcons deal has run into problems with location, but it will end up going forward, with a major assist from Atlanta taxpayers.
http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2013/09/16/2626101/meet-billionaires-asking-taxpayers-buy-stadiums/
Why doesn't the NFL pay taxes?
Technically, the NFL is a trade association that promotes the interest of its 32 clubs, a notion that strikes Businessweek as ridiculous. "This is a bit like McDonalds (MCD -1.04%) calling itself a trade association promoting the interests of its 14,000 U.S. restaurants," it says.
The NFL has it good for many other reasons. Congress granted it an antitrust exemption in 1966 so the American Football League could merge with the NFL. And many of the league's stadiums are funded with the help of taxpayers. For instance, the Atlanta Falcons' planned $1 billion new stadium is set to get about $200 million in public funding.
http://money.msn.com/now/post--why-doesnt-the-nfl-pay-taxes
hibbing
(10,096 posts)Socialize the costs and privatize the profits, I get so tired of these aholes.
Peace
pansypoo53219
(20,969 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Because, you know, they create jobs.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)has been extorting money from the public for years. The threat of relocating is considered a threat worth giving into, which is a shame.
I've lived in any number of major cities and in a total of seven different states. Currently I live in New Mexico, which has no major league teams of any sort. As far as I'm concerned it's paradise.
Okay, I get it that lots of people like following various games, but it's still just a game. Not something that truly matters in the larger scheme of things. And especially not worth financing instead of say, schools, health care, road repair.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)I don't know why Football doesn't do the same.
Bryant
KansDem
(28,498 posts)They can get a second job!
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,988 posts)alp227
(32,015 posts)Obama's "you didn't build that" definitely applies to these brats.
And did you see Thom Hartmann comment about this?
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,988 posts)Conservative sports fans love high ticket prices. Every time they pay through the nose they high five each other saying "Yay! our tax dollars at work!"
They respond "It's the American dream to have a middle class life, huge car payments and high ticket prices!"
Another one responds "Yeah, our heroes are the ones we pay one hundred times our cancer scientists and 200 times our troops. Go pro athlete go!"
Frankie the Bird
(70 posts)He is still persona non grata along with his idiotic son Josh.
FairWinds
(1,717 posts)As he demanded cash-strapped Cleveland build a stadium for him, Art Modell declared . .
The pride and presence of a professional football team is far more important than 30 libraries.
Under new ownership, the Browns are still on the dole.
alp227
(32,015 posts)he says more sports teams need to be community owned like the Green Bay Packers.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,988 posts)Octoberfurst
(42 posts)I remember years ago when the owner of the Pgh Steelers-- (Art Rooney I believe)- decided he wanted a brand new stadium and told the county to build him a new $200 million dollar stadium or else he would take Pgh's beloved Steelers elsewhere. (Mind you the guy was stinking rich.) Even so this caused a lot of controversy and so the politicians came up with a plan. They said the people could vote on a "short-term" tax increase to pay for the stadium or decline. Well the nay votes won easily so did the politicians give up and say, "Ok the people have spoken"? Hell no, they went to the Governor and talked him into giving tax dollars build the stadium! So the stadium was built with our tax dollars. Of course after that the Eagles wanted a brand new stadium as did the Pgh Pirates and they all got their wish. Yep hundreds of millions were spent so that the rich owners could have more luxury seating and big fancy stadiums. Oh happy day. Of course when it comes to funding infrastructure or the safety net we don't have the money. But we got money for sports teams! >sigh< We truly do live in a plutocracy.
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)that I am STILL paying for those stadiums....which our bridges are unsafe, our schools are falling down, the roads are a mess, local communities are suffering, and there is "no money" to fix them.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,969 posts)+ since i mostly shop at estate sales. i gleefully not pay for the goddamned brewer's stadium.
PD Turk
(1,289 posts)No public money for their enterprise, if they need money, let them hold a bake sale
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)from the public treasury for past 60+ years.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Especially in Florida, where the Tampa bay rays want a new stadium. To be fair, the current one is a dump, and the attendance is low, but that is because these same GOP idiots kept killing anythign that even looked like public transport.