Should privately owned teams receive public tax $?

[sick beats]

So, are the Rooneys getting public tax money to add seats to the stadium? Should they be allowed to do that? Is that fair to the tax payers?

[Shawn]

So you are asking if it's ok for a private organization to receive money from the public so they can overcharge the public for additional seating which will put more money into their pockets? Yeah, I'm thinking not.

[Slapstick]

This is the beloved capitalist model. If one given municipality won't pony up for an NFL franchise, the franchise has the option to move...

OTOH, 3,000 more seats = potentially 3,000 more meals eaten at local restaurants and perhaps 1,500 more area hotel rooms booked...not to mention parking, etc.

The Rooneys don't see any of that action...

[SidSmythe]

If the Public backs it why not??
Private Companies benefit from tax dollars everyday.
As long as the public approves why not?

[Vader]

Or the government could give over $500 million to companies like Solyndra, $43 million to Beacon Power, $98 million to Nevada Geothermal or BILLIONS more to other companies with ties to the White House? If you are going to keep the Government out then keep them out.

[Shoe]

So you are asking if it's ok for a private organization to receive money from the public so they can overcharge the public for additional seating which will put more money into their pockets? Yeah, I'm thinking not.

Too bad it isn't a perfect world, because I agree 100%. Especially when you see all the yellow seats that I seem to see (i.e. empty seats) more and more at Heinz. Truth is, I really don't know how this all works because baseball teams continue to throw money at everything/everyone, even though their games aren't packed... Sadly, teams can hold teams ransom over a city, leaving if they don't get what they want.

[fordfixer]

This is the beloved capitalist model. If one given municipality won't pony up for an NFL franchise, the franchise has the option to move...

OTOH, 3,000 more seats = potentially 3,000 more meals eaten at local restaurants and perhaps 1,500 more area hotel rooms booked...not to mention parking, etc.

The Rooneys don't see any of that action...

You forgot the $10.00 beers

[Shawn]

Too bad it isn't a perfect world, because I agree 100%. Especially when you see all the yellow seats that I seem to see (i.e. empty seats) more and more at Heinz. Truth is, I really don't know how this all works because baseball teams continue to throw money at everything/everyone, even though their games aren't packed... Sadly, teams can hold teams ransom over a city, leaving if they don't get what they want.

Yeah see, the Rooneys need Pittsburgh as much as Pittsburgh needs the Steelers. Holding the city hostage so they can "get a piece" of the other local economies is nothing but greed. If I own a business that brings people into the area that eat at local restaurants that doesn't entitle me to tax money to further build my business.

[papillon]

It should go on the ballot for a vote. I'm funny that way with my money, I think I should get to decide of I want to help out a private business or not. I think the Rooneys would find out very quickly that the majority of citizens in Allegheny county really aren't interested in helping the Rooneys financially.

Pappy

[NJ-STEELER]

stadium being payed by tax payers... isnt this the reason why the HS chamionships are played there every year (and in turn, chews up the field)

[phillyesq]

This is the political climate that we live in today, and for which we all bear some responsibility. If you don't like it, the only recourse is to vote out the politicians who are giving money to the teams.

On the flip side, when Heinz was built and the Steelers went from a team that couldn't financially compete (losing key free agents in the mid-late 90s) to a team that spends every last dime on player salaries, I don't think that many fans complained that public money was used.

[Shawn]

This is the political climate that we live in today, and for which we all bear some responsibility. If you don't like it, the only recourse is to vote out the politicians who are giving money to the teams.

On the flip side, when Heinz was built and the Steelers went from a team that couldn't financially compete (losing key free agents in the mid-late 90s) to a team that spends every last dime on player salaries, I don't think that many fans complained that public money was used.

Are you saying the Rooney's don't make alot of money off the Steelers? That they own the Steelers merely for the love of it?

[RobinCole]

Every state competes with each other to try to lure private businesses to relocate. They offer all kinds of tax credits, exemptions and subsidies. This issue was decided long ago. Not much difference between that and building stadiums in which privately-owned teams can play.

[Northern_Blitz]

It's ridiculous that tax payers get held hostage by pro sports franchises like this.

Several studies have shown that pro sports franchises don't help the local economy. During lockouts, people who would have went to the game spend their disposable income somewhere else. Most people that go to the games are local, so they spend their money somewhere else local.

[url]http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/01/03/1393781/bls-basketball-lockout/[/url]

[flippy]

This is why the public isn't smart enough to vote. Rich people get it, the more dummies that vote, the richer you'll get. Rock the vote

These stadium deals are never in the public's best interest. Pittsburgh should tell the Rooney's to pound sand and head to LA.