Nice graphics and summary from Deadspin on what they call "$#!&@&
of taxpayer money" for stadiums in America:
The map below is an attempt to answer those questions visually. It charts the construction of 186 NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL stadiums from 1909-2012, which covers pretty much all of them. The size of the stadium icon is proportional to the total cost (inflation-adjusted to 2012 dollars), and the color is proportional to the method of financing, with 100 percent private showing up in red, 100 percent public in blue, and a range of purple in between. Major renovations are included as well, and stadiums are faded out when they lose their professional team.
The Orlando Magic have already had TWO arenas built for them in a little over two decades of existence. The new one we have here now cost about $500 million to build, and the team contributed maybe $100 million toward that amount. One would hope the people of the Tampa Bay region would fare rather better if (when?) they break ground on a new stadium for the Rays.
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