@vagitron said:

I agree.

@tml1138 said:

I think their standards were non-objective. If they didn't like what someone was doing, they said so. I doubt they laid down criteria or guidelines.

@ballpeen said:

@tour2ma said:

As for stadium economics... better bring in a lot of "millions".

Any new NFL stadium will be over $500 million, but we'll assume that figure.

Take a 20-year life and a 3% interest rate and the loan cost alone is over $33 million per year.

Maintenance is not free, but may be relatively cheap at first... say 1% of the build price or $5 mil. But it will ramp up exponentially with age. We can worry about that later. Then there are also other costs like Insurance, Utilities, Taxes...

If we get 10% of a ticket price in "taxes" averaging $150 for 65,000 capacity for 10 games a year, that's $9.75 mill. After our first year Maint cost plus "other" expenses maybe we net $4 mil?

Only $29 mil to go and we break even... year 1.

http://dontmesswithtaxes.typepad.com/dont_mess_with_taxes/2014/05/cleveland-voters-approve-20-year-sin-tax-to-benefit-pro-sports.html

The Browns agreed last fall to finance a $120 million renovation of FirstEnergy Stadium that is expected to be completed in two years. Cleveland agreed to pay the team $2 million interest free over the next 15 years to cover their capital repair obligations under the terms of the lease that runs through 2029.

Indians officials estimate they'll need around $60-to-70 million in taxpayer help to cover capital repairs that their field will need between now and 2023.

The Cavaliers say their arena needs an estimated $55-to-65 million in capital repairs and replacements through 2023.

@tour2ma said:

I agree, jobs aren't created at the government level. What they can do is keep private industry jobs.

As long as there are legit cities willing to lure teams to their area, teams that have them and want to keep them need to meet the demand. Like I said earlier, one would think that fans of the Browns would get that. NFL teams generate millions of dollars of impact for their city. It makes sense for the city to grant some cuts, be it tax breaks, discounts on stadium rent, whatever.

@miktoxic said:

But she said her and Donkey Kong were just friends.......

@ballpeen said:

My opinion is if people think a pro sports team shouldn't reveive public support, maybe they should move to a city that doesn't have a pro sports team.

Here in Chattanooga we have a AA baseball team. Just signed a contract with the Twins. Had been with the Dodgers for 3-4 years.

The point is the city owns the stadium and they know how important a AA baseball team is to the city. The team provides jobs and tax revenue. It's ignorant for people to think teams should pay for it all when there are multiple choices for team to go,

But government can't create jobs... didn't you get the memo?

It all depends upon the balance sheet. If stadium operations produce a better return on the depreciated capital employed to build the stadium than other investments, then sure. If not, then no.

Here in Chattanooga we have a AA baseball team. Just signed a contract with the Twins. Had been with the Dodgers for 3-4 years.

The point is the city owns the stadium and they know how important a AA baseball team is to the city. The team provides jobs and tax revenue. It's ignorant for people to think teams should pay for it all when there are multiple choices for team to go,

One would think Clevelanders. if anyone, would get it once the Browns moved. Model got a better deal. The city of Baltimore did what the city of Cleveland could/should have done.

Juist saying......if you have a team, be it NFL or AA Baseball, you need to keep it if you want to keep it.

I suggest that you could count on one hand those that have not had their snout out wanting to sup from the public trough for money to pay for their place of business. Can we name any that have not done that?

I believe Jerry World may have been built entirely privately....or at least with more private money than most other stadia/arenas.

Of course, the Packers are owned by the city....so that is a special case. (is that the case with any other team? I don't think so.

@ballpeen said:

@the-gipper said:

I can agree to a degree, but to me that has nothing to do with being a owner, at least in a sports sense.

Now, that said, I am quite sure you know that it doesn't matter what some people think, in a legal sense, that doesn't matter. All that matters is what you can prove.

Jimmy says he didn't know. I take him at his word until others can prove otherwise. For me at least, what other position is there to take?

I am damn glad the guy owns my team. We have seen this whole Factory of Sadness crap go away.

@vagitron said:

It is because of that personal/outside business controversy that he is on the list apparently.

@ballpeen said:

Well, as noted, it has more to do with outside business practices than his management of the team.

I guess if you are being investigated by the FBI and IRS and potentially subject to indictment you get on this list. Plus, clearly RS hates fracking and anyone involved in fracking....or supplying frackers is on their shit list.

@kvoethe said:

If you read the article it explains rationale

What a concept!

Not political beliefs per se, but "questionable" bizness practices. Then the view of those practices, like the WSH team name, tend to fall along partisan lines...

Haslam may have overseen a rebate ripoff, but he appears to be a strong organization manager. Strength exhibited by his reorg of the Browns with clearly delineated responsibilities and selection of what appear to be very capable people to run his organization followed by limited interference. Witness word that while he wanted to be informed of the Hoyer/ Manziel decision, he did not participate in it.

Remember that our Jimmy's "false start" with Banner, Heckert and Chud was forced upon him by the league.

Snyder on the other hand has been "hands on" from the start of his disastrous ownership.

@shadow said:

Is there a new Stockton in town?

@shadow said:

LOL

Mike

WSS

Mike