Only one problem: As the Florida Times-Union previously reported, using the maintenance fund for capital improvements means it’s not there for maintenance, and there’s already “a long list of stadium maintenance upgrades” that need to be done. None of the press coverage of yesterday’s announcement bothered to mention that, but then, when you have a media universe where ESPN runs the headline “Khan kicks in $20M to help stadium” when the Jaguars owner already promised that months ago — and it’s less than half what the public will be kicking in — we’re not exactly talking prize-winning journalism here.Then again, why should Khan be expected to pay for all those upgrades to improve his bottom line? The poor guy just forked over $10,000 for Tallahassee lobbyists to try and ram a stadium subsidy bill through the legislature - and didn't even get the bill passed!
Providing perspective on the economics and politics of sports business in Florida...and the Rays' campaign for a new stadium in Tampa Bay.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
City of Jacksonville to Hand $43M over to Jags...Just Because
Field of Schemes reports that the city - not billionare owner Shad Khan - will pay the majority of a $63 million upgrade to the Jacksonville Jaguars' stadium, which will include two new video scoreboards and an indoor pool. The money was recently "found" in the Sports Complex Capital Maintenance Fund:
It's funny how things are spun to create negative drama, and I understand you don't follow news in Jax like I do, but for Khan to invest $20 million of his own money into a stadium he doesn't own is a big commitment, which doesn't really "improve his bottom line", and doesn't include all his other personal investments in the stadium, and downtown Jacksonville! I'm guessing if you need a new roof on your house, and I said I would pay for a 1/3 of the cost you would take advantage of the situation, and fork up the other 2/3. And, newsflash, the money came from the bed tax, the part of the tax that suppose to go to increasing entertainment value to bring more heads to the beds to recycle the process for years on in. And, don't villainize someone for doing something that you would do if you were them. Though I understand it's easier to bash the wealthy for how they make moves when us lesser class aren't...
ReplyDeleteThough maybe we should just read "field of schemes" instead, as they seem to be the source of most of your articles...
Dufala? Is that you?
DeleteWhy, because "anonymous"'s post gave the REAL side of the story?
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