Iron Law of Stadium Finance: The cost of a public stadium always goes up.

The individuals who boast about their lack of economics training while trying to tackle economics questions are truly a special brand of idiots.

Paul Ehrlich wasn't wrong, he was just "premature." The obit is correspondingly awful. I continue to marvel at how much deference humans can give to people who say things we want to hear, no matter how wrong they have demonstrated themselves to be.

This is absurd. When it comes to economics, people have mush for brains. I mean it's only been 175 years since the broken window fallacy was exposed.

Hassett isn't just a bad economist, he's a bad person.

"Critics claim"...[rips out clumps of hair] Whatever happened to reaching out to subject experts who could inform with evidence? All research says stadiums are *terrible* public investments. This should be in the story.

Could the Chicago Bears leave Illinois? Indiana makes a play for the historic franchise

If a new Rays stadium is really the tax revenue generator it's claimed to be, then why is a totally unrelated tax needed to fund the stadium? 🤔 It's almost as if the stadium proponents know the economic benefits they're touting are a lie.

Other, smarter folks have pointed out that Mike Marshall's lifetime ERA comes closest to pi, while three pitchers tied for the seasonal "record" of 3.141509: Mel Parnell in 1948, Paul Foytack in 1957, Jerry Koosman in 1970 (each with 212 IP, 74 ER).

I am reminded of the time Jerry Reinsdorf said the White Sox would leave Illinois if Addison voters didn't approve a new stadium deal, which they rejected in 1986. Perhaps the Bears will leave, but this talk of non-existent deadlines is cheap.

I trust that Portland/Oregon voters will do the right thing and vote out elected representatives who are more interested in helping out an out-of-town billionaire than their constituents. This isn't a negotiation, they're in on the scam, and they love the perks.

With all the technological innovations we are experiencing, how has no one figured out how to add an optional alternate audio feed for sports events that is just a microphone in the stadium? I like watching sports, but I can't stand sports commentary. Seriously, SHUT UP!

Where have I heard this before? 🤔

Your reminder: the people we elect to protect our interests are in on the stadium scam. These jock sniffers will give sports team owners pretty much anything they ask for if it means they might watch a game from the owners box, mingle with star athletes, or even get a free jersey.

Why do pro sports teams get their venues subsidized by taxpayers so easily? Because the people elected to look out for their constituents are in on the scam. www.kgw.com/article/news...

See what happens when you stand up to sports boosters trying to bully taxpayers into subsidizing their lucrative luxury pursuits.

#Kansas legislators bow before their new master showmeinstitute.org/article/corp... #ksleg #stadium

The old post-election bait and switch, it's a public choice classic.

Quote fixed. Just a reminder that when the Cowboys moved to Arlington, Irving's sales tax revenue increased (holding rates constant). fox4kc.com/sports/chief...

There's almost nothing dumber than subsidizing a minor-league soccer venue.

State leader to Wyandotte County on Chiefs stadium: "You’re welcome." I think "fuck you" is more accurate. For the millionth time: SPORTS VENUES DO NOT FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT! fox4kc.com/sports/chief...

This is good news, but my guess is that the stadium goes forward no matter what. Elected "leaders" will find other money and Haslam can afford a little more. And this isn't over in the courts: judges like sports too (see baseball's antitrust exemption). www.fieldofschemes.com/2026/03/10/2...

Good grief. How many "awards" is the Cobb Chamber going to hand out to the Atlanta Braves organization for selflessly accepting $300 million from county taxpayers. www.mdjonline.com/news/cobb-ch...

Just once, I'd like to see a news story detailing how a new publicly funded stadium was paying for itself exactly as planned.

I thought I'd heard all the perfunctory rationalizations used to justify publicly funded sports venues, but *it's not a subsidy because the team is like a furnace* is a new one. Folks, we've got to elect better people.

If only there had been some sort of indication that this is exactly what would happen... County Attorney Says Lack Of Development At Stadium Site To Hurt Taxpayers - Chattanoogan.com share.google/n3gN92vAxDpe...

Cobb leaders shouted down Braves stadium opponents as naysayers, insisting future financial returns would prove their case. When they showed the opposite, they lied and said they were vindicated. The blind faith in stadium projects is so strong that it persists, even in hindsight.

And now Rays stadium backers are repeating a debunked booster talking point about the Truist Park/Battery project to promote the false hope that the Tampa plan will work.

Time is a flat circle.

What's worse is that these people are getting away with it. They're giving $1.8 BILLION of taxpayer money to a private leisure business owned by a family of nepo-babies, and the officials in charge don't even pretend to care if there is really a serious policy case for it.

This "study" sure seems solid.

Wyandotte County released only two pages of a financial study backing its $450 million pledge for a Chiefs stadium, leaving key cost details unclear.

It's disgusting to see these wealthy privateers seeking to extract even more resources from local communities, while engaging it deliberate bad faith negotiations.

Whoopsies! And as best I can tell, the legislation reimburses local governments for reducing property taxes (there is no state property tax any more), but I can't tell exactly how this would work because the bill wasn't posted last time I checked.

It is impossible for government to devote $1.15 billion of public resources to build a stadium at no cost to taxpayers. www.tampabay.com/news/educati...

Is anyone going to bring up the controversial land swap this guy did with DeKalb County? After making numerous promises to the community, he cashed in and sold his studio without assurances that the promises would be kept.

Previously this deal had been described as including a public contribution for surrounding infrastructure (whatever that means), perhaps funded by a TIF tax, but I'm not seeing it mentioned in recent stories. Is that still happening?

Terry McGuirk

WTF is this paid advertisement doing in the middle of today's AJC newsletter? I know you have to make money, but this crosses a line. An uncareful reader could easily mistake this paid propaganda for an opinion promoted by the newspaper.

Just got an e-mail from the Savannah Bananas, and I have never marked a message as spam faster than that.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has a net worth approaching $9 billion, which he mostly inherited. buff.ly/y5K7FpT

Seems like the kind of starter Atlanta could have used some of its bounteous Battery money to sign.

$600 million in public money is being requested to upgrade Ohio professional sports venues. This is indefensible public policy.

🔥

Life imitates art at the Minnesota United game today (photo from a friend) How can you not love this?

"But, J.C., what about about all the people spending money in and around the events?"

Ugh, this is a completely bogus number that has no basis in reality. Media members have got to stop credulously repeating it.

There's a lot of confusion about how the Atlanta Braves is owned and operated. That's understandable, due to the legal complexity of the arrangement, but please read up on how it works before commenting on it.

I hate this ride, and I want off.