MikeSmith wrote: Seattle built a new stadium for the Seahawks & Mariners, but they wouldn't build one for the .... the .... ummm.... uh... basketball team????
Seattle did not pay for the facilities but rather the taxpayers of the entire state paid for a few Seattleites to get rich. Quite frankly I'm fed up with paying taxes to support the spoiled brats and would just as soon see them all leave.
MikeSmith wrote: Seattle built a new stadium for the Seahawks & Mariners, but they wouldn't build one for the .... the .... ummm.... uh... basketball team????
Seattle did not pay for the facilities but rather the taxpayers of the entire state paid for a few Seattleites to get rich. Quite frankly I'm fed up with paying taxes to support the spoiled brats and would just as soon see them all leave.
My thought is since the WA taxpayers are paying for two new sports stadiums they just don't have the money to pay for a third new stadium. Also, priorities are changing with the bad economy.
I asked my husband if anyone at his work was complaining about the Sonics leaving and he said no. I haven't heard anyone talking about the Sonics except on this forum. Don't think the average WA resident is concerned about them leaving.
When Safeco Field was built in 1999, bonds worth $325 million were earmarked for the project — paid with a combination of taxes to be collected through 2016
The money to pay off the bonds comes from three sources: a half a ercent tax on food and beverage sales, a 2 percent car-rental tax, and a 0.017 percent sales tax. These are King County taxes, not state taxes. Qwest field is being paid for in a similar fashion.
Whether one likes them or not, all of these teams and franchises bring in revenue to the city, as well as collateral jobs. As to the athletes, they are represented by agents, who are usually attorneys. They usually get whatever the market will bear, for better or worse. and as for discussion of the issues, every single media in Seattle, print and electronic, have been discussing this to death, probably because they know what is being lost here. eliminating everything YOU don't like is a slippery slope.....what do others in the community want to see go away? Maybe something you like...
Amen, Moderator. As big a sports fan as I am, I am sick and tired of cities and states being held hostage by pro sports moguls. If they have the money to pay player salaries, they can sure come up with the money for new playgrounds, other than taxpayers footing the bill. Any of them can move yet today and I could care less. The San Diego Chargers are the epitome of creating a hostage situation. If they are so broke, call me and I will volunteer to load the moving van. There are plenty of Interstates out of Dego, jump on one. This Seattle-Okie City deal is real cute. Watch in several seasons and see what happens. Clay Bennett and crew will be the talk of Okie City for a while. Then poor management, poor draft choices, police blotters, and the end run, poor product on the court, they will be hunting a another new owner and of course a greener pasture. Just like Bob Irsay did with the Colts in 1984 and moved them out in the middle of night. Indy built a new dome and 22 years later the dome is TOO old, and then son Jim Irsay holds Circle City hostage. And then of course the alltime carpet bagger Art Modell takes the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and bleeds the state of Maryland for everything. I loved it when he named the new stadium "PSI.NET STADIUM" and later the rubber checks started coming in. What goes around, comes around. The sun don't shine on the same dogs butt all the time!
....the ethics of many owners are certainly suspect, if at all existent. The agents, player associations, and the leagues, especially the NBA are further suspect. And as for the sun shining, you can bet none of the leagues want us to see the books.....
Houston has the old Astrodome {vacant}, Reliant Stadium for football, Enron...errr... Minute Maid for baseball, and Toyota Center for basketball & hockey.
Everyone that rents a car in the Houston region pays a sports authority tax of 5%. Everyone that stays in a hotel in the region pays that sports authority tax. The various stadiums were supposed to be paid by tourists and business people.
Of course, those are not the only people that rent a car or stay at a hotel in Houston...
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Quite frankly I'm fed up with paying taxes to support the spoiled brats and would just as soon see them all leave.
