Stadium negotiations in the U.S. can be filled with half-truths and exaggerated arguments. Here’s what anyone debating public financing for a stadium needs to know.
Given the dollar amounts potentially at play, it’s fair to ask questions: what kind of return on investment can the public reasonably expect from sports stadium subsidies? And how do those returns compare to the promises made by team owners, supportive politicians, and other stadium advocates when they ask for government handouts?
Previous construction waves have given economists lots of data to study. Here’s a summary of what we’ve learned – all of which can help you make sense of the facts, figures, and competing claims that tend to swirl around proposed projects.