<story><title>Cities should not pay for new stadiums</title><url>https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2022/01/15/cities-should-not-pay-for-new-stadiums/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>rory</author><text>How about Opera Houses? Why should the federal taxpayer pour millions into the Kennedy Center just so rich old congresspeople can pretend to enjoy the plotless hellscape of &amp;quot;Cats&amp;quot;?</text></item><item><author>zip1234</author><text>I think beyond the obvious large sports stadiums, local high schools are among the worst offenders. New tax levies for &amp;#x27;schools&amp;#x27; almost always pass despite much of that spent on new sports fields meant for the exclusive use of sports teams that constitute only a very small percentage of the student body population (not to mention the overall population). Meanwhile, the school will not even have safe ways for children to ride bikes to school and bus service cannot even be properly maintained.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>HWR_14</author><text>The Kennedy Center is used frequently to host federal government events that bring in large groups of people. In that one case.&lt;p&gt;Further, spaces like the Kennedy center (or amphitheaters) play a revolving set of shows which makes it difficult for any private entity to have enough skin in the game to fund it. If the stadium was owned by the city and rented to whichever group wanted it, that would be more analogous. But right now it&amp;#x27;s the X stadium, the sports team sells the naming rights, gets the revenue from other uses, etc. Instead, put them in a position where they can be outbid for the use during a home game and I might start agreeing.</text></comment>
<story><title>Cities should not pay for new stadiums</title><url>https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2022/01/15/cities-should-not-pay-for-new-stadiums/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>rory</author><text>How about Opera Houses? Why should the federal taxpayer pour millions into the Kennedy Center just so rich old congresspeople can pretend to enjoy the plotless hellscape of &amp;quot;Cats&amp;quot;?</text></item><item><author>zip1234</author><text>I think beyond the obvious large sports stadiums, local high schools are among the worst offenders. New tax levies for &amp;#x27;schools&amp;#x27; almost always pass despite much of that spent on new sports fields meant for the exclusive use of sports teams that constitute only a very small percentage of the student body population (not to mention the overall population). Meanwhile, the school will not even have safe ways for children to ride bikes to school and bus service cannot even be properly maintained.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>robert_foss</author><text>I think the difference is that football is a money making endeavor for the team owner. Opera isn&amp;#x27;t making money for anyone and needs help if it is to exist.&lt;p&gt;Giving money to football teams is not much of a step removed from putting it directly in the pockets of the already rich owners of the teams.</text></comment>