11.08.2007

This Investment is Paying Off!

The DC Council is pissed. Why? Well, as you may have heard, the Council, in its infinite wisdom, decided to give away $611,000,000.00 to build that fancy passable new baseball stadium by the Navy Yard. It's the most expensive baseball stadium ever cashing in at over $90,000,000.00 more than second place Safeco Field in Seattle. And don't give me that malarkey about how expensive New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field are going to be. Yeah, they will dwarf the new DC stadium's price tag. But half the funding of those billion dollar stadiums are being paid by the Yankees and Mets respectively. Not to mention New York City actually charges both teams rent. This DC monstrosity is being paid with, and only with, public money.

So, the DC Council fell over itself trying to get a baseball team. This despite the fact that Northern Virginia was more than willing to pony up for the team. I understand the need to develop along the Anacostia River, but past stadiums have had mixed records of vitalizing city neighborhoods. Sure, we can point to the Verizon Center as a success story, but those success stories are the exception rather than the rule. The city was taking a huge risk.

The risk was especially huge since the National were going to be a regional team. I've always argued that living in Bethesda or Alexandria was really no different than living by Dupont Circle. It's all the DC Metro Area. And those Bethesda and Alexandria residents are going to end up rooting for the Nationals.

So, I guess the Council should be pissed when the Nationals host their annual black-tie dinner in PG County and host their "FanFest" in Bethesda. After all, how much money did Maryland shell out for the team? And their hotels and businesses get to reap the benefits? It's a dick move by the team.

BUT WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU EXPECT!?!?!

"We gave them a $611 million free stadium. I think that entitles us to have their gala at our businesses," council member Carol Schwartz (R-At Large) said.

The problem isn't what DC is entitled to. The problem is that we paid that much money for a team that was, rightfully, going to exploit the Maryland and Virginia markets. The whole point of having a team in Washington is the access to wealthy suburbanites in one of the fastest growing regions in America.

Emily Durso, president of the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C., said she learned about a month ago of the team's plans and called Nationals executives. "I said, 'Please tell me this isn't true.' "

"They're moving all of the events to the suburbs," she said. "The Bethesda one was, like, uh-oh, is this a trend? I've told them we understand that they are a regional team, but the hotels here pay for the stadium."


Yes they do. Sucks to be you. Further proof that the legislation giving away $611,000,000.00 was the worst kind of bullshit. We were operating under the assumption that whoever bought the team would give a shit about the city. They don't. They give a shit about the area. And when you're living in an area as restrictively small as DC, then there is no reason to fund these teams. The R*d*k*ns play in PG County and no one acts like they aren't Washington's team. We could have done the same for the Nationals. I hope Linda Cropp, Jack Evans, and Anthony Williams are all enjoying their crow.

6 comments:

  1. I think you'll feel differently once the Nationals have a new place to get thier asses kicked by the Red Sox. ;)

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  2. Geez, PG offers to throw a Nats party for free, and DC goes apeshit?

    This just isn't a big deal.

    Meanwhile, metro continues its pathetic service, schools still have barely literate teachers, and government workers continue dicking around with taxpayers so they can shop at Neimans on someone else's dime.

    This place is a fucking kleptocracy, and they're whining about the Nats Gala.

    It will get worse in a few years when PG's National Harbor takes all the business away from DC's eyesore of a convention center.

    Because the great minds in PG somehow realized that conventioneers probably want like, hotels and ammeneties and stuff.

    DC isn't entitled to squat.

    Man, it's draining being governed by such simpletons.

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  3. when will DC learn that it's free beer that trumps all?

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  4. Hell, I want the Skins back in the city, too. Tear down RFK, Mayor Fenty, and build Danny a new stadium!

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  5. Sweet Baby Jesus.

    I'm sick to death of your repeated statements that DC taxpayers are paying for the stadium.

    The stadium is being funded by a special tax on ONLY very large corporate businesses. Like law firms and lobbying firms that do something like $5 million in business per year.

    So unless you are one of those folks, you are NOT paying for the baseball stadium.

    And, no, there is no 'trickle down' effect. Very few DC residents use such large businesses, as DC has no real industry other than lobbying and law.

    And it's not like the business commmunity would have sat still for a similar tax for the hellhole that is our school system or for any other cause. They welcomed this tax (as much as you can actually welcome a tax) because they expect the city and the business world to see a net gain off of it.

    So lament the stadium and it's blandness all you want (as it is pretty boring architecturally).

    But please stop spreading the bullshit that this stadium is being paid for by DC taxpayers.

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  6. while it's true that local businesses are contributing, the bulk of the funds to pay off the stadium debt are coming from stadium-generated revenue from within the stadium footprint. the city didn't just write the nationals a check for $611 million.

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