An air ball for the Beach
The city wants Virginia taxpayers to help pay for a pro basketball arena.
Virginians long have had professional sports envy, forced to cheer for pro teams beyond the commonwealth. If Virginia Beach has its way, that could change.
The city wants to woo a pro team, rumored to be the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings. All it needs is an arena, but those aren’t cheap. So city officials have asked the commonwealth for some financial help. “Some” in this case means $150 million, of which $70 million would help pay for an arena and $80million would pay unspecified moving costs for the team.
November 30, 2012 - 6:14 AM
If I thought that they had nothing else that needed that kind of funding, I might applaud it. I just don’t believe that is the case and I am sick of seeing taxpayers subsidize the wealthy team owners and franchises they bribe to bring them in. It is odd how this kind of welfare is so acceptable to people though.
I’ve got an idea. let’s give ‘em the same amount we’ve given Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Speedway, Bristol Speedway, Virginia International Speedway, combined.
@2 Let’s not. I don’t know about the others, but Martinsville has done well at the public trough. Just a couple of years ago, it received $1.5 million from the Tobacco Commission.
Lawmakers should laugh the Beach request out of the capital.
Agreed.
If they could find a way to socialize the profits, this might be a worthy effort.
If they “socialize the profits”, no team will come. That is not how that “game” is played.
It’s projected that $110 million would get passenger rail running between Roanoke and DC again – an infrastructure investment project with clear public benefit. Is building a stadium to attract a lucrative private business a good use of public money?