Corporate Welfare for Yet Another Sports Palace????

[Pierzin]

You won't beleive what I heard on the AP news feed as I was getting ready for work this morning(while listening to Stephanie Miller on 1090, of course, ha ha). Yes folks, Margarita Prentice seems to be serious about this. Check out the article and see how many ways to Sunday it can be blown out of the water.
http://www.kirotv.com/sports/10942927/detail.html
For starters, None of our regions sports stadiums are even PAID for yet. Including the Kingdome, which no longer exists!!! :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:
Does this make sense? We all know the Sonics may very well leave town if they don't get their new sports palace. Regardless who pays for it, the principle of this proposal is beyond ridiculous while we wrestle over replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: If we as a region cannot decide what is going to happen to something as basic as a 3-4 mile stretch of very important highway, why in God's creation should legislators even be considering talking about an entertainment sports complex??
What's more, why doesn't the state come up with some grandiose plan to finance the best option for said highway(whatever it may end up being)? Why should I have to pay more to rent a car or pay more to eat at a restaurant for a sports palace that by all rights should be paid for by the team owners. It's their business, let them pay for it. They will ultimately benefit from this, not your average Renton, Bellevue, Seattle resident.
Flame away denizens, flame away!

[Mojambo]

1. I'm as big a sports fan as you'll find

And I supported the building of Safeco Field back in the day (and Qwest Field to a lesser extent) but I have reached the point where I can no longer support majority public financing of sports arenas.

I do think public financing can be a part of these solutions, but owners are getting a pretty huge free ride in most cases.

I'll be sorry to see the Sonics go, but no way should they get the kind of money they're asking for.

[maxsolomon]

2. the sonics arena will get done

and probably a nascar track on the kitsap.

and the tunnel won't.

priorities.

the difference between a tunnel & a replacement viaduct that will be a tragedy our great grandchildren will have to fix at enormous expense is ONE SONICS ARENA.

[LeFleur1]

3. Capitalists, HA.

These rich boys are the first to stand in the welfare line with both hands out. They stuff their tax breaks in their pockets, then raid the public pool to fund their businesses. They call themselves capitalists, but they are on the tax dole.

We cry and whine when we have to take care of those less fortunate, or those whose silly decisions have made them unable to earn a living to support themselves and/or their children, yet we often are happy to pay for rich people's hobbies. I don't get it.

I like baseball, basketball and football, and I'll choose to pay for the overpriced tickets, or not. But I don't choose to have my tax money go to fund the businesses of these owners. If they can't make it without tax money, oh well, I guess I'll have to choose different teams to support. Ones shown on TV. We need businesses that don't have to be subsidized by government funds.

If I want to open a quilting business is the government going to subsidize the building where people come to quilt or to see the quilts and possibly to buy them?
They might stay at a motel to do so. They might eat at a restaurant while in town.
Everyone doesn't quilt, you say? Everyone doesn't watch baseball, football, basketball or car races either.

It's way past time for a government priority revision.

[Cascadian]

4. Just wait about 30 years from now...

when the Seahawks and Mariners demand the city to build them new stadiums.



John