So, we’d get a Super Bowl. So what?
A partial quote from a blog post by my colleague Jim Galloway about Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s push for a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons:
Among the reasons Reed cited for pursuing a new stadium, and why he is emphasizing his support:
“I believe we will be awarded a Super Bowl, and I think we have the best owner in America… .”
And my reaction to these particular rationales of the mayor:
So what?
Having a Super Bowl in town matters to two sets of people: Those who get to go to the game, and those who profit from its being here. The number of Atlantans who actually get to go to the game will be relatively small, and the most attractive estimates of the economic impact of the Super Bowl are almost always exaggerated. Officials in Indianapolis, site of the Super Bowl held last month, didn’t even try to pretend the biggest impact was really about money; rather, it’s about “image,” a kind of profit held in highest esteem by politicians and assorted other local poobahs.
Of course, “image” cuts both ways: Atlanta’s image in the eyes of the NFL after the last Super Bowl we hosted, the game in 2000, when an ice storm battered the city, was one of a city the hypocritical league did not want to revisit for its big game. At least, not until it was time to help one of its owners coerce taxpayers into buying him a new stadium.
Which brings us to Blank. The city may have scant incentive to spend upwards of $400 million of hotel/motel tax revenues on a stadium to replace — or just supplement — the 20-year-old Georgia Dome within, say, five years. But Blank can expect to make a lot more money from a new stadium.
Before investing that kind of money, it would be good to know exactly how much the Blank expects a new stadium to generate for his franchise. At $400 million for a stadium lasting 25 years — the apparent lifespan of a pro football stadium in this city based on our experience with Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and now the Georgia Dome — we could keep the Dome, just give him $15 million a year and still come out slightly ahead. (Not that I’m advocating that kind of welfare, for the record; this is just for illustrative purposes.)
Given how many needs the city has, Reed might want to improve his sales pitch to his citizens.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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86 comments Add your comment
Eric
March 15th, 2012
7:09 pm
I agree. There is no way Mr. Blank should be “given” this type of private welfare. Let he and the NFL pay for it.
Furthermore, where are our priorities? We’re talking big gifts to football just as teachers continue to be furloughed. I don’t get it!!
Eric
March 15th, 2012
7:12 pm
Also, how is it there was no outcry over imploding Atlanta Stadium in favor of a domed stadium. Now we’re saying open-air again. People will never be satisfied!!
Aquagirl
March 15th, 2012
7:13 pm
I thought you were on the Obama link line.
Call me a rebel. The economy has improved somewhat, but not enough for ordinary folk to start thinking “wow, I’d love to subsidize a billionaire and his multimillionaire employees.”
Just saying..
March 15th, 2012
7:16 pm
Dusty
March 15th, 2012
5:50 pm
Dusty @ 5:50
Just saying, 5:35
So you’ve got one of those falcon stickers on your car? A cheerleader picture in your wallet? A helmet you wear in the shower? A little red football you keep on your desk? A snapshot of the mutt that won the last dogfight? A faded-falcon sweatshirt to wear when washing the car? A brain damaged bobble head doll swaying by your windshield?
Uh, Dusty, what’s that all about? Get cut from the cheerleader tryouts? I don’t have any of those items. Re-selling my seats every year makes a profit. You know, that free market thingy.
Point I’m making is, as a season ticket holder, I might be presumed (know anyone who does that?) to want a new stadium and fancier seats, on the taxpayer’s dime. I don’t, the stadium we have works just fine. I agree with Kyle, disagree with the mayor. A Super Bowl in exchange for a new football stadium is a poor bargain.
@@
March 15th, 2012
7:17 pm
Hillbilly:
“Every American has to play cowboy at some time or other in their lives. Most of us do it when we are kids”.
And then there’s me…a kid at heart.
Just saying..
March 15th, 2012
7:26 pm
“Aquagirl @ 4:03: +1″
OK, Kyle, now you’ve gone to meddling’…
@@
March 15th, 2012
7:35 pm
Andy:
I’m more into algae that absorbs C02. Have ‘ya seen the new microalgae lamp/street lamps? Reportedly, it absorbs 150-200 times more CO2 than a tree!
What can I say…I’m from California where all the nuts roll.
Tony Smith
March 15th, 2012
8:01 pm
Kyle,
I am as huge a football fan as you will find. But Arthur Blank should build his own stadium if he wants one instead of having the taxpayers do it. We are furloughing teachers in this state. Mayor Reed needs to explain to them why a stadium is important. It is about perception,Mr. Mayor.
Rafe Hollister
March 15th, 2012
8:49 pm
This stadium thing is just so sleazy. We all knew at the time, even Barry and the proponents, that Obamacare was going to cost two to three times what the regime said it would cost. But with a wink and a nod they fudged the figures and the sycophants for Barry determinedly fought any claim that the cost were understated.
Here we go again, it will cost 50% more than projected. The government portion will be more than will initially be reported. Most importantly, they will claim this will not affect the Dome, but over time they will let it deteriorate and use that later as an excuse to tear it down. The Superbowl will come after 7-8 years and it will be a one and done affair, just to pay off a promise.
Arthur has already said he wants a smaller venue with less seating. This is so he can charge more per seat and increase demand. Less people to please, so if you don’t like your visit, he has people standing in line to take your place. He will sell seat licenses that will be outrageous and only allow you the priviledge of getting in line to buy an overpriced season ticket so you can enjoy the overpriced concessions and overpay for parking. All proceeds go to Arthur, all risk go to the taxpayers. We are such fools to continue to allow this stuff.
ragnar danneskjold
March 15th, 2012
8:55 pm
I think the last time I watched a whole SuperBowl was 1982. But I did watch most of that one that had the Rams vs Titans a few years ago.
I’d rather see that money go to move Turner Field to Alpharetta.
Woody
March 15th, 2012
9:01 pm
I’m so confused – when they built the dome, did they not do a good job? Used shoddy materials? Not a good design? Tastes have changed? What’s to prevent the same mistakes being made a third time?
Old Hippie
March 15th, 2012
9:09 pm
Wingnut:”Having a Super Bowl in town matters to two sets of people: Those who get to go to the game, and those who profit from its being here.” Once again you miss the point – as any intelligent person knows there is what is known as the multiplier effect. For every dollar directly spent by a game attendee, that dollar is circulates at least 1 1/2 times within the city. (I buy a ticket to the game – the people who work the stadium get paid, the hotel staff gets paid, the food vendors make money, the beverage vendors get overpaid. A Super Bowl would be a tremendous boost to the local economy.
Wing(nut)field, go to college and study economics before your write your half truths again. You really are an embarassment to the AJC and this area.
yuzeyurbrane
March 15th, 2012
9:17 pm
I can’t believe I agree with Kyle 2 columns in a row!!
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
9:20 pm
And the ONE OR TWO TIMES we might get a Super Bowl wouldn’t cover the costs, Old Hippie.
Someone should go back to economics class but it isn’t Kyle.
Hillbilly D
March 15th, 2012
9:23 pm
The multiplier effect would be the same if Arthur paid for his own stadium. If it’s such a good deal, he ought to be able to make money off it, as smart as he’s supposed to be.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
10:05 pm
As I recall similar boasts were made of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. The rest of world got a peek at our little southern paradise. All we got was inflated cost of living and more traffic.
Mr. Mayor…Thanks, but no thanks! There are too many variables, YOU have yet to discover as to why this is not a good idea.
Liberals eat their children
March 15th, 2012
10:12 pm
People wake up. Mayor Reed is corrupt and Authur Blank can afford to build his own stadium. Our taxes are too high and we don’t need any increases for any reason. In fact all of our taxes need to be lower by alot……………Anybody but the radical Obama in 2012.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
10:18 pm
Attention All Republican PROBER PARTY MEMBERS. Your ULTRASOUND is scheduled in November. Dr. Nancy will be performing the procedure, she and her friends will be waiting and smiling.
Don’t Be LATE!
Intown
March 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
Kyle, this is one thing I agree with you on. This is about Mayor Reed promising something to someone he looks up to and Super Bowl prestige. That is all. There is nothing wrong with the GA Dome. Other than the flooding its construction caused in adjacent lneighborhoods.
Liberals eat their children
March 15th, 2012
10:37 pm
Bernie, You’re boy Obama will be scheduled for his procedure as well coming to him this November by as Obama called us “Typical White Folks”. The”ATL” as you black folks call it needs a White Conservative Republican as it’s Mayor to fix all the corruption caused by the racist Black Democrats that have ruined this once great City.
Chip
March 15th, 2012
11:00 pm
If the multi-zillionaire team owner, the spoiled rich whiny ball players, and the dumb drunk foolish fans who worship these false idols all want a new stadium because the current one is no longer good enough for them, then THEY can pay for it.
Leave the tax payers out of it… there are too many sewers to fix, too many cops and firefighters and good teachers needed, and too much crime to fight to waste public funds on another boondoggle that will only benefit the rich (or the dumb drunk fools who need to sober up and get a life.)
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
11:15 pm
Liberals eat their children – @ 10:37 pm, whats the wrong is wifey saying no again? or is she on Ponce as usual?
marko
March 16th, 2012
5:02 am
Agreeing with Kyle gets on my nerves. Here’s hoping he gets over this strange reasonable kick he’s been on lately.
The last time the mighty NFL gifted us a Super Bowl, We showed our gratitude by creating a massive ice storm. Not exactly what I’d call southern hospitality. No wonder they’re still mad at us. Don’t despair fellow citizens, If we all agree to build them a new stadium, they’ll let us have another Super Bowl. After all everybody knows that ice storms are much more entertaining in outdoor stadiums.
As much as I appreciate the offer I think I’ll pass. Give to a city that controls it’s unruly weather better than we do. Dallas comes to mind.
Hindu Elvis Pimp
March 16th, 2012
6:44 am
We agree on something. I’m a long time season ticket holder and I do not see an need for the tax payers to fund a new facility. The team has a more than adequate facility. The lure of having a Superbowl here is idiotic. The lure of paying police and fire, along with improving the infrastructure should outweigh a game that may not be played here even if a new stadium is built.
RedandBlackDAWG
March 16th, 2012
7:51 am
Here’s a novel idea for you Mr. Blank. How about winning a super bowl with the falcons first and then we can talk a new stadium. Why should the tax payer be burdened with another bill, designed to give more money to a rich guy, when the product he puts on the field is not capable of winning the very same game, that this mayor thinks, would bring in all these millions to the city. I am not a resident of Atlanta, but I see the news each night and it seems like Atlanta has a lot bigger priorities than a new football stadium. I would like to see the high schools, not only in Atlanta by the way, produce some scholars and a better educated group of people that graduate. I also seem to remember seeing where water problems and sewer systems are still a problem for the city. I also suspect that the money spent on a new stadium would somehow end up costing those of us that aren’t residents money as well. The super bowl is one game a year and if you are lucky, you might host the game, twice a decade. It might be nice if the home team, was ever in one of those games, at a better rate than once, say every 35 years or so.
Don't Tread
March 16th, 2012
7:59 am
No more corporate welfare! If Blank wants a new stadium, he can writhe the Blank Check (and then a few more Blank Checks to cover the cost overruns). Taxpayers should NOT be footing the bill for one penny of this stuff.
PinkoNeoConLibertarian
March 16th, 2012
8:03 am
All y’all must be misunderstanding the situation and the promise. What Artie and Kassie are saying is that if we buy them a bright shiny new stadium then the NFL will make sure that the Falcons WIN a Super Bowl, not HOST a Super Bowl.
See? Now isn’t that much better?
Just say "NO" to New Stadium
March 16th, 2012
8:03 am
As long as someone else pays, you clowns seem to think new taxes are ok…..WRONG….NO NEW TAXES, EVER! If Arthur wants a new stadium for his football team, then let Arthur pay!
Darwin
March 16th, 2012
8:07 am
Ah, beating up on Atlanta. Gee, how original. Now, how about some discussion about those boneheads in Gwinnett county who built a baseball stadium? Oh, that’s right. Wrong color.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 16th, 2012
8:36 am
Darwin: Wrong color.
———-
There’s been no shortage of criticism regarding Coolray Field. Pay attention.
Darwin: Racist.
Former Reagan Republican
March 16th, 2012
8:57 am
I’m agreeing with Kyle ( for once). I like the dome. There is nothing wrong with it. Tell Arthur Blank to get lost.
Bobby
March 16th, 2012
9:06 am
I really don’t care if the Falcons leave Atlanta or not. Then again, I’m a Saints fan and we are building a new stadium for our team.
GT
March 16th, 2012
9:31 am
Atlanta’s image along with Georgia’s has been sinking for years. Companies moving here have to worry about social conditions, uneducated employees, and just a negative impression on people outside this region for people in this region, being anti progressive. No Super Bowl, Olympics or NBA All-Star game is going to overcome what we are. We are paying people to use us. We have been doing it for a long time.
Jeff
March 16th, 2012
6:12 pm
So the new proposed stadium is open-air. OK, so we get a Super Bowl with the new stadium and have another ice storm. Game get rescheduled because they can’t play outside during an ice storm. Anyone measured that economic impact?
Liberals eat their children
March 16th, 2012
10:15 pm
GT, Some of the biggest problem with Atlanta is people like you that cry racism like people cry wolf. The Nation is tried of the your OWE me a dream crowd and the corrupt idiot Black Democrats in charge downtown. Mayor (Tax) Reed “Bro do you have a dime”.
MoneyTrain
March 18th, 2012
8:03 am
the new taxpayer funded stadium is all about arthur making many more millions—and connected politicians sharing in the gravy train—-nothing more. don’t believe the economic spin and BS put out by the mayor—it’s just rich people getting richer.