Is it time to tell the professional sports teams commissioners to build their OWN stadiums?

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

As much as I am against tax dollars going to stadiums or teams in leagues making billions in profits, I see why they do it, and will continue to do it. It is an undeniable fact that a major league baseball and football team, even a mediocre one, will bring people to the area. If the stadiums are in entertainment districts or downtown areas, it will bring a ton of business to these areas. Looking at what is going on in downtown Cincinnati, just over a decade after two new gleaming stadiums were built with a large "to be developed" area in between, it is astonishing the amount of high rent housing, and entertainment that has sprung up there as part of the stadium deals. And now GE's Global Operations Center is building its headquarters there.(the area closer to the football stadium)
Though we have some very serious problems in other parts of town, some only 7 or 8 blocks away from the new stadiums complexes, the tax payers are definitely seeing some very tangible benefits for their investment.
The thing is, the stadiums must be in areas developed to keep people in town (or in the area) so they can spend their money there. Essentially, make it attractive to visit even when the team might not be in town. I'll tell you, I spend a lot more time downtown now (in the last 4 or 5 years) than I did before, and it's all due to the ample parking (the entire area between the stadiums is a well camouflaged multi-level parking structure with 5500 parking places. The new development will be built on top) And the area around the stadiums (especially Great American) is teaming with bars, restaurants, other businesses, and what I think is most important, attractive housing.

And now the rumblings are going around to find the money to demolish the old Riverfront Coliseum (US Bank Center) right next to Great American and replace it with an arena that would attract an NHL or NBA franchise. I would still vote NO on a levy. But I see where so much good has come from not only building the stadiums, but developing the area around those facilities to make it attractive for people to come before the games, stay after, and so even move near by.

Projected after GE Global Ops HQ completed

http://thebankscincy.com/visiting/parking.aspx

For reference, this is what the area looked like before the development

Makes more sense to have an NHL team in Cincinnati than say PhoeniGlendale) or Miami.

 

[TNGTony]

Makes more sense to have an NHL team in Cincinnati than say PhoeniGlendale) or Miami.

US Bank Arena now houses a minor league hockey team (Cyclones) which are quite popular. At one time we had two very well supported minor league hockey teams. But when the Blue Jackets went to Columbus, that killed one of the two minor league teams here, and any real chance on Cincinnati getting an NHL franchise, Columbus is a quick 90 minute drive from the northern suburbs, 2 hours at most from most of the Ohio side of GTR Cinti. No way another hockey franchise will come this way.
NBA, though, is another story. Though Indy is about the same distance, it's a world away in the minds of most people in the area. People who think nothing of going to Columbus have a really hard time wanting to go to Indy unless we are talking about the 500. I have gone to a couple of Pacers games because the people who got the tickets locally just didn't want to go "all the way" to Indy. But they go to Columbus every weekend during football season.
It's a psychological thing.
But there is no way this city if going to attract either unless it has a suitable arena. US Bank Arena is teeny-tiny, The Gardens is even smaller, and a dump, in a dumpy, nearly forgotten part of town. UC, XU and NKU have arenas that suit the school, but still too small for a pro franchise.

What needs to happen is for some visionary to buy the Gardens - where the NBA Cincinnati Royals, and WHA Stinger used to play (it's for sale-completely unchanged except maybe a coat of paint to cover the cracks in the foundation). Knock it to the ground, build a new arena AND attract development to the Swifton area with the help of the city. But as I said before, I would still vote no if we, the county residents would be asked to pay higher taxes to make it happen.

 

[stmcld]

Is/was Turner Field close to Six Flags like old Fulton County Stadium was? For all of the times I've visited Atlanta,I've had no reason to go to Turner Field,so I honestly don't know it's exact location(I live in the Augusta CSRA area).

It was right across the street from Fulton County Stadium. At least as of a year or so ago, there wasn't even MARTA service to the stadium.

 

[salsadancer7]

Makes more sense to have an NHL team in Cincinnati than say PhoeniGlendale) or Miami.

why? because they have winter?

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

why? because they have winter?

The NHL is just out of place in Phoenix & Miami,for various reasons. Phoenix has the Suns,& Miami has the Heat,which I feel takes away a lot of the fan support needed for sustain an NHL team. The NHL failed in Atlanta for the same reason. It works(?) in Nashville & Raleigh(Carolina Hurricanes) because there's not much else to do. The Carolina Hurricanes' only competition is college basketball(N.C. State Wolfpack),& the Nashville Predators pretty much have the whole city to themselves.

 

[whitewolf8214]

All owners should pay for stadiums not the cities or the people ad we all need to tell them to stick it!!

 

[salsadancer7]

The NHL is just out of place in Phoenix & Miami,for various reasons. Phoenix has the Suns,& Miami has the Heat,which I feel takes away a lot of the fan support needed for sustain an NHL team. The NHL failed in Atlanta for the same reason. It works(?) in Nashville & Raleigh(Carolina Hurricanes) because there's not much else to do. The Carolina Hurricanes' only competition is college basketball(N.C. State Wolfpack),& the Nashville Predators pretty much have the whole city to themselves.

Out of place? Huge amount of northerns in both cities. In Miami, alot of Canadian snowbirds and north easterners. In Phoenix, you have alot of people from Chicago and Milwaukee/Green Bay. It has gotten little support here late because the team has sucked. Usually, if the team sucks, and sucks badly in ANY CITY, you will loose support. It does not take an astrophysicist to figure this out.

 

[TNGTony]

the Nashville Predators pretty much have the whole city to themselves.

[COUGH]titans[COUGH]
Nashville also has the Nashville Sounds MiLB team.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

[COUGH]titans[COUGH]
Nashville also has the Nashville Sounds MiLB team.

During Basketball/hockey season,they have the town to themselves. It also helps that the Predators have "Mr." Carrie Underwood playing for them(simply because he's "'Mr.' Carrie Underwood").

 

[cybok0]

Do like the penguins and the city of Pittsburgh and get a casino to help pay. Rivers casino pays 7.5 million a year towards the arena and when the contract is up they would of payed 225 million total.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Art7220]

I just remembered this. It's John Oliver's Last Week Tonight on stadium financing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcwJt4bcnXs

 

[salsadancer7]

I just remembered this. It's John Oliver's Last Week Tonight on stadium financing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcwJt4bcnXs

It was ABSOLUTELY fantastic! And I LOVED that they singled out Loria and Mini-me.