Survey USA/11Alive poll: Majority would support new stadium to keep Falcons in Atlanta
On behalf of 11Alive, Survey USA has conducted an automated, statewide poll that shows Georgians willing to use taxpayer funds to help build a $1 billion – if it’s the only way to keep the Atlanta Falcons in downtown Atlanta.
From the TV station’s web site:
The survey of 500 adult Georgians conducted Wednesday night shows that 47 percent oppose using hotel-motel tax funds to help build a new stadium. 43 percent favor it. 10 percent are undecided.
When asked if they would support the project if it’s “the only way to keep the Atlanta Falcons team playing in downtown Atlanta,” 54% supported it and 37% opposed. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 and a half percent.
The 11Alive poll paints far rosier possibilities for a new Georgia Dome built via a public-private partnership with the Falcons and the NFL. A Journal-Constitution poll released just last week indicated 72 percent of Georgians opposed the measure – though the newspaper survey didn’t raise the possibility that the Falcons might leave their current home.
The football team hasn’t gone that far, but Georgia World Congress Authority officials have told lawmakers that a Falcons move to the suburbs is one of their concerns. Currently, in order to allow the state to pony up its $300 million share of the $1 billion project, the Legislature would have to approve an increase in the GWCA’s bonding capacity.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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95 comments Add your comment
Joe
January 18th, 2013
1:56 pm
The lesser of two evils,
The Tucker Falcons
Keis
January 18th, 2013
2:05 pm
Let the loosing falcons go else where….No Stadium…
Bob Loblaw
January 18th, 2013
2:13 pm
Oh, please don’t come build us a new, retractable roof stadium and make hotel guests pay 30% of it and then give it to the State. What a terrible deal!?!
Common sense, folks. Let them build you a stadium and let the hotel guests pick up the tab of financing bonds, which, will be bought at the lowest rate in history.
Charlotte? Kicking in $125M to upgrade a stadium. Not bonds, but new taxes. Buffalo? $110 to upgrade with state grants and local tax hikes.
Atlanta? Wants to whine and say “don’t use my tax money!” even where if you don’t live in the ATL or stay in Fulton Co. hotels, you won’t pay a dime. Your state government just gets a new stadium.
BW
January 18th, 2013
2:19 pm
Bob
Reading comprehension just isn’t there for the naysayers….willful ignorance is a badge of honor with them….which is probably why this is being handled out of the public eye because if you leave it up to some people they will mess up the state’s money. All the money flowing from all those events at Dome including those Falcons games and people want to whine about a tax already in place and that they will never pay….
WillinRoswell
January 18th, 2013
2:22 pm
It’s a done deal because the cost is paid by somebody (anybody) else.
jose
January 18th, 2013
2:30 pm
So, who is surpirsed that polling about the Falcons, conducted at the very time they are one game away from the Superbowl, shows that fans want them to stay in ATL? Why is this even news?
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 18th, 2013
2:31 pm
Let’s talk some more about this on Sunday after the falcons get trampled.
Elisha
January 18th, 2013
2:36 pm
They need to move to the old GM site and build a large entertainment complex. There is already a MARTA stop and the DOT could configure an Interstate exit.
Get over it
January 18th, 2013
2:47 pm
A new downtown Falcons stadium is a done deal. Stop whining, and enjoy seeing the Falcons win the Superbowl.
Keis
January 18th, 2013
2:49 pm
300 Million, Who pays for the cost overruns, The job will go to one of Nates cronies.
Who will pay for the additional 200 million to fix area (probably only confined to the stadium area and reeds trolly hanger…
Just thought I would throw this out there the last few wins were they legit or only for show to trick the people intto the already DONE CROOKED SHADY Deal…
Poll again after Sundays game…
the cat
January 18th, 2013
2:57 pm
Bullspit, don’t believe the survey results for a moment.
advice
January 18th, 2013
3:01 pm
These must be some of the same pollsters who said Romney was going to win.
Angry Voter
January 18th, 2013
3:03 pm
Yep, Jim, you continue to carry your boss, Arthur Blank’s water. The survey clearly shows the highest number of people against the stadium. Yet, your message on this isn’t that people oppose the stadium. You somehow find the one almost positive, that about half, when asked a skewed question, and only half, indicate support of the stadium.
Seriously, you should admit that you work for Arthur Blank when you report on this. Any fair minded journalist wouldn’t report on this issue without mentioning Blank is a boss. But then again, Jim, we are talking about you. Just because it’s expected doesn’t make it right.
Synonymous
January 18th, 2013
3:11 pm
Bob/BW: no, we’re just not interested in corporate welfare in any form, regardless of who is or isn’t paying the taxes for it. But since you probably work for Art Blank, I guess your mind is made up for you.
Angry Voter
January 18th, 2013
3:14 pm
OMG – the home page indicates the survey shows “lots of stadium support.” What an outright lie. The survey shows people, when asked, don’t support the stadium. When asked about a couple specific twists – hotel/motel tax pays all and Falcons move, half indicate support. That’s hardly “lots of” support. That’s half support.
Wow. The AJC should fess up that Blank is a boss when it reports about these things and stop making up facts to support their boss. I understand kissing up, but didn’t y’all at least once pretend to be a news organization, rather than an advertising arm of Cox’s board?
Silent Jay
January 18th, 2013
3:18 pm
The same Insider that told us Romney couldn’t miss?
When you ask the question without “To keep the Falcons here…” or “To prevent an asteroid from destroying the earth…” the polling is 70-30 against a new stadium.
They’re not going anywhere. Arthur is not the kind of guy to hold a gun to head of Atlanta.
Angry Voter
January 18th, 2013
3:20 pm
Here are some survey questions 11Alive should ask next time:
“If a family member had cancer, and the cure would only be provided if the new stadium were built, would you be in favor?”
“If there werre a new weather phenonemon which created tornados in Atlanta every day, and the only way to stop the tornados was to build a new stadium that unicorns and rainbows would pay for, would you be in favor?”
Or how about this one: “Do you really believe local taxpayers wouldn’t be on the hook?”
Or “Do you trust any government official with the money to build the stadium.”
The problem with the skewed survey question is it doesn’t give an opportunity for people to really indicate their opposition. The second question creates a false Shangri-La.
Hopper
January 18th, 2013
3:23 pm
Excuse me, I believe that’s a useless survey. Phone surveys are suspect to begin with, and including a question about Falcons leaving is right next to asking if people want the team to leave town. Fake, phoney survey.
td
January 18th, 2013
3:36 pm
eis
January 18th, 2013
2:49 pm
300 Million, Who pays for the cost overruns,
NFL and Falcons have already said they would pay for any overruns.
an observer
January 18th, 2013
3:36 pm
The point is that if the motel tax does not raise enough money to pay for the stadium (which it will not), then the state or the city is left holding the bag.
Don Abernethy
January 18th, 2013
3:37 pm
Who selected the people polled?Reed? Falcons?Lobbyist? Like I mentioned before the stadium is going to be built regardless of what the MAJORITY of voters want. We will get our chance to voice our opinion when we vote.
jmac83
January 18th, 2013
3:37 pm
The wording of the survey sounds a little misleading. If the survey asks “if it’s the only way to keep the team playing in downtown Atlanta,” a lot of people would presume the option is to leave for another city. Ask them if it’s a priority for them if the team plays downtown vs. the suburb, you’ll probably get a much different response.
ProfitBGoode
January 18th, 2013
3:45 pm
The role of government is to provide services to its respective citizens, period.
The Atlanta Falcons are a PRIVATE ENTERPRISE that is part of an EXCLUSIVE INDUSTRY NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NFL) that could easily afford to build its own stadiums, but won’t because they have suckers known as legislators that will be more than happy to indebt us and our families for generations to come. Case in point; the outstanding debt on the current Ga Dome is more than $100 MILLION, yet these assclowns legislators want to build yet another Dome to replace a perfectly good one that is not yet paid for.
Nevertheless, our weak but greedy legislators are going to put us further in debt, so if they are going to stick it to us and tourists, but mostly US, then BUILD the DAMNED DOME IN THE MACON, GEORGIA AREA to share the state’s wealth with Middle Georgia.
A better use of taxpayers’ funds would be to EXTEND Amtrak from Atlanta to Chattanooga and from Atlanta to Macon onward to Savannah putting far more people to work and better serving us taxpayers.
Marlboro Man
January 18th, 2013
3:46 pm
Why not use the hotel tax to fund education instead of cutting back to the counties what the state is obligated to do ? After all it is free money to the spin doctors.
Marlboro Man
January 18th, 2013
3:46 pm
Help fund education.
jaypat
January 18th, 2013
3:48 pm
Buried down in paragraph 23 of this 29-paragraph story is this disclosure:
“Blank is on the board of directors of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, whose media holdings include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.”
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/new-falcons-roost-moves-ahead-but-questions-remain/nTRy2/
So far as I can find, this is the only time this connection with the AJC (and WSB-TV, WSB-AM and FM, and a number of other radio stations) is mentioned.
We need a media ETHICS commission.
This $500 million gift to the man who pays the salaries of these people is wrong in about every way imaginable.
I don’t beleive there is any economic analysis that can show that this gift will redound to the net benefit of anyone other than Blank.
If there is, I’d like to see it. State legislators should demand to see it too.
td
January 18th, 2013
3:51 pm
an observer
January 18th, 2013
3:36 pm
The point is that if the motel tax does not raise enough money to pay for the stadium (which it will not), then the state or the city is left holding the bag.
And you have evidence of this OPINION?
jaypat
January 18th, 2013
3:53 pm
“beleive”-believe
BW from Sandy Springs
January 18th, 2013
3:55 pm
the only reason this poll shows the support it does is that it say if building a new stadium is the ONLY way to KEEP the Falcons, then they support it….
Issue 1: This would be a debt issue (ie bonds) — the hotel tax would be increased to cover this debt issue. The bonds would be repaid in a set number of years….unintended consequence; higher motel/hotel tax for conventions visiting Atlanta – business could choose another city to hold their conventions – Atlanta potentially loses.
Issue 2: Roger Goddel said the only way Atlanta gets a Super Bowl is if we get a new stadium – a Super Bowl would bring in tremndous revenue to Atalnta and the state – but that is a one off deal. Higher motel/hotel tax could cause Atlanta to lose future events that will cost us more then we gain by a once a new stadium super bowl.
Issue 3: $300 for a building that gets used maybe 40 times per year? and we already have a great facility that I have never heard anyone complain about – (except getting on Marta leaving after a game- separate issue) If we do issue bonds for a purpose then how about something that will really make an impact on Atlantans lives?
there are many many more – if this gets passed I hope it is a Pyrrhic victory for those who vote for it and they get ushered out of office next election cycle.
td
January 18th, 2013
3:56 pm
Marlboro Man
January 18th, 2013
3:46 pm
Why not use the hotel tax to fund education instead of cutting back to the counties what the state is obligated to do ? After all it is free money to the spin doctors.
Because it is not allowed under state law or the state Constitution. Money from hotel/motel taxes can only be used for projects like this or not at all. In other words, we either allow out of town money to build a new stadium that will get the city a another Super bowl, continue to have the SEC Championship game, in the running for a NCAA final four, other events and bring in millions of dollars to the city or we do nothing and have the status quo with no extra money potential.
sliderule
January 18th, 2013
4:00 pm
Why haven’t the Georgia World Congress Authority officials come up with a contingency plan if the Falcons leave? The Falcons play in the dome 10 or 12 times a year at most. There seem to be lots of other activities many days at the dome in the past few years. Is there anyone at the GWC capable of doing a fair and impartial analysis? My guess is $500 mil would subsidize the dome for a VERY long time as opposed to subsidizing Blank.
Burroughston Broch
January 18th, 2013
4:02 pm
Sounds like a flawed survey – they should have chosen only Fulton County and City of Atlanta taxpayers. They will be on the hook to pay the bonds if the hotel/motel tax doesn’t raise enough revenue.
BW from Sandy Springs
January 18th, 2013
4:11 pm
By the way – Jim, you are better than this.
sliderule
January 18th, 2013
4:12 pm
Marlboro Man:
This boondoggle requires the state legislature to change tax law state law. Just change it some more. The benefits of large events like the Super Bowl are always overstated. Adding more annual events especially college football games is far more beneficial. Didn’t realize the SEC championship was in jeopardy. We have the final four THIS year. Sorry no “extra” millions, just $500 mil expense.
Nick
January 18th, 2013
4:14 pm
I don’t live in Fulton County or city of Atlanta, I do go to every Falcons Game, and I think the Dome is a dump. Win- win on a new stadium for me.
hnbc
January 18th, 2013
4:18 pm
If the Falcons want a new stadium, let them pick up the entire cost! They can afford it. I’m tired of sports teams holding cities and citizens hostage by threatening to leave town if they (the sports team) doesn’t get their way.
No public money! I won’t miss the Falcons or any sports team if they leave town.
Now, I would miss the arts! So, let’s put money into the arts.
Fan
January 18th, 2013
4:21 pm
Anyone remember Falcons 1981 playoffs? Repeat coming up
jeffisnoticing
January 18th, 2013
4:22 pm
Hotel owners are selling their Atlanta properties…
Shar
January 18th, 2013
4:23 pm
The pollsters, after coming up with a Doomsday alternative a handful of days before the Falcons’ best shot at a playoff in years, and including only 500 people who are from all over Georgia and therefore have absolutely no financial stake or responsibility, could only get 54% to support the new stadium. That goes beyond pallid to abysmal.
This poll was clearly skewed as far as possible to try to manufacture ammunition to take to the Legislature, and they still could only get barely half of the people to say what they wanted them to say.
This stadium is a terrible deal for the people of Atlanta. Blank gets to jack up the prices of all the seats, gets all the revenue from every single event held at the Dome whether they are associated with football or not and only has to return $2.5 million – a pittance! – to the City, gets $500+ million in tax spending in and around his new palace and gets the State to hold onto the property so he can run this business scam without paying any property taxes back to the City.
And td, don’t be silly. Money is fungible, and gets spent on political priorities regardless of what the taxing authority says it’s for. The HOPE money is supposed to be reserved for specific education spending but all the Legislature has done for years is to redirect state education support to other things and let tuition rise and HOPE cover the difference. Not a penny of the tax on old tire disposal has ever done into environmental abatement, which is what it is for. The list goes on and on, and is as crooked and misleading as the poll cited above.
I don’t know why you think that other major events will not come to the existing Dome – where is the evidence for that? Besides, Atlantans won’t have any “extra money potential” – it all goes to Blank.
Fan
January 18th, 2013
4:23 pm
Anyone remember the Falcons 1981 Playoff game? History repeats itself this weekend.
WOW
January 18th, 2013
4:25 pm
@ Sliderule:
Because the most profitable events (SEC title game, Chick-fil-A bowl and kickoff classic, etc..) would leave with the Falcons.
Shine
January 18th, 2013
4:26 pm
Instead of a hotel tax let ticket buyers pay for it if it just has to be done. i dont want to pay for a stadium just because I stay in a Atlanta hotel/motel. Piss on Blank, the Falcons, and a stadium. Let the deadbeats pay for their own party hole.
allen981
January 18th, 2013
4:27 pm
The only beneficiaries of a new stadium are Arthur Blank and his heirs. With a new stadium, the value of the franchise doubles. And, franchise operating revenues will soar with the new contract and seat licenses.
I understand the stake the Falcons and the league are taking; but the city and state will not benefit. Take that tax and fix infrastructure, build a road, fund the Beltway streetcar line (oops, no, don’t do that), or just leave it as it is.
Can anyone explain how New Orleans continues to get Super Bowls with no better place to play than the Superdome? Yet, Atlanta can’t because our beautfiul, fantastically designed 20-year-old stadium isn’t good enough?
There’s no real economic benefit anyway. The city of Los Angeles seems to be doing pretty well without a football team at all.
If AB wants a stadium, let him pony up the cash and build one.
allen981
January 18th, 2013
4:30 pm
From the gist of comments here, that new poll must have been funded and worded by the Falcons.
If this thing ever went to a referendum, a new stadium wouldn’t get 25 percent of the vote.
Rafe Hollister
January 18th, 2013
4:36 pm
The stadium is a done deal, the powers that be are just now molding and shaping the opinion they want to see out there. A couple of push polls stilted in their favor, a little fog, smoke, mirrors, lies and deception, and viola, we love it. They obviously have been studying Barack’s playbook.
If you believe this poll is legit, then you probably also believe that Clinton did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.
sliderule
January 18th, 2013
4:37 pm
WOW:
Why would anyone want the “SEC title game” played in Los Angeles?
DLink
January 18th, 2013
4:44 pm
They should have asked, “Would you support building a new stadium for the Falcons if they win the superbowl this year?”
Rafe Hollister
January 18th, 2013
4:45 pm
The cry from the proponents of the stadium is that, Blank is putting up 700M and we get a new stadium for only 300M. Believe me, if Arthur can raise 700M, he could raise another 300M and own it outright and not have to put up with the GWC politics and state rules and regulations. He would get all the profits, concessions, parking, seat licenses, ticket prices, etc.
Why, doesn’t he just build it himself? Because he knows it is going to cost much more than 1B, before it is over and he is depending on the city and state to cover the cost overruns and infrastructure costs necessary to make it successful. Plus, the government gets most of the risk involved once his 700 M is spent, he is through. Who gets to maintain it, after he abandons it as being too outdated, the government and the taxpayers.
Paul D
January 18th, 2013
4:46 pm
To all of you who say that this is only paid for by the Hotel tax and that the taxpayers really don’t pay anything – how come the ATL Mayor just told us that we will need to spend 200 million on road and infrastructure improvements – who will pay for that? Answer – residents of Atlanta. And when the price of the stadium goes over the projected budget (show me one government run project that has come in under), who will pay for that – the taxpayers. And why – just to add more luxury boxes – the current stadium seats plenty of people but without a new stadium, they cannot add any more luxury boxed or get the seat license pushed through.
Buckhead Boy
January 18th, 2013
4:49 pm
No one has suggested increasing the Tax rate. The current tax rate was merely extended to permit this.
The City of Atlanta averages collecting more than $40 million annually in Hotel-Motel Tax, considering good years and bad. Servicing the bonded indebtedness, would involve only approximately $16 million. Don’t worry; no one is going to insure the issue or buy the bonds, if they are not assured that the Hotel-Motel Tax can service the indebtedness.
blazerdawg
January 18th, 2013
4:51 pm
Continues the existing h/m tax rate which is low compared to other cities, Falcons investing $750M, puts Atlanta back on top for facilities – it is a good deal – and I do pay to stay in downtown hotels and have enjoyed every visit downtown.
another comment
January 18th, 2013
4:52 pm
Ignorance abounds in Atlanta. Taxes are a necessary to move forward and to have people bring in new business. If you don’t want to pay taxes buy your own Island and live on it with no services. Pay zero taxes for no services.
Don Coyote
January 18th, 2013
4:56 pm
Death and taxes. But isn’t there a better use to benefit the hotel/motel payers of this tax than an unneeded stadium?
How many of those polled plan to pay for the seat licenses that are the real reason for the new facility as well?
td
January 18th, 2013
5:01 pm
Shar
January 18th, 2013
4:23 pm
“And td, don’t be silly. Money is fungible, and gets spent on political priorities regardless of what the taxing authority says it’s for. The HOPE money is supposed to be reserved for specific education spending but all the Legislature has done for years is to redirect state education support to other things and let tuition rise and HOPE cover the difference”
It is funny that I have never seen one article written backing this claim. Can you please point one out for me so that I can see how they did it?
Burroughston Broch
January 18th, 2013
5:02 pm
@ Buckhead Boy
“Don’t worry; no one is going to insure the issue or buy the bonds, if they are not assured that the Hotel-Motel Tax can service the indebtedness.”
Did you say the same thing about AIG insuring mortgage-based financial instruments before 2008? We all know how well that worked. Come up with another platitude to sell.
td
January 18th, 2013
5:04 pm
allen981
January 18th, 2013
4:27 pm
“The only beneficiaries of a new stadium are Arthur Blank and his heirs.”
Where are all those people coming into ATL going to stay? Where are they going to eat? Are they coming directly to the stadium, if so then who are they pay to park, if not then how much money are they going to pay for MARTA?
Yes, only Blank will benefit.
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
5:09 pm
TD- All that money is coming in now, but with the new stadium it all goes to Arthur.
I am not sold that this new stadium is really going to show any great surge in new business.
I am willing to loan Arthur the money, but screw just giving it to him.
Ashley
January 18th, 2013
5:10 pm
Because the new stadium idea worked out so well for the Gwinnett Braves…. Uh, that is right the taxpayers got screwed and the lying politicans walked away.
sliderule
January 18th, 2013
5:11 pm
td
There will be no “new” masses of people coming to town. We are discussing replacing a stadium with another. They will stay and pay as they currently do. I bet the parking will be more though.
irishmafia
January 18th, 2013
5:13 pm
O come on, who did they poll Blank’s family ? Have not met a single person who is not adamantly opposed to the stadium, including dozens of die hard Falcon fans
southern hope
January 18th, 2013
5:14 pm
well, this is hilarious. And I just want to go on the record & say that I was in favor of the new stadium *before* the Falcons made it to the NFC finals.
(and that is because i LOATHE the Georgia Dome).
td
January 18th, 2013
5:16 pm
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
5:09 pm
Really?
NFL has stated that ATL receives another Super Bowl if we build a new stadium.
Jerry Jones (Cowboys stadium) has stated that his stadium is better and now that Texas A&M is in the SEC then the Championship game should be moved to his stadium. NO wants the SEC Championship game and so does Jacksonville.
Not to mention that the Chick-fila bowl is attempting to get Atlanta added to the new college football rotation with a new stadium.
Go ahead and keep your head in the sand.
Things that make you go hmmm
January 18th, 2013
5:16 pm
If new stadium is such an economic boost then why wouldn’t Arthur Blank want to own all of it and pay for all of it? These sports teams owners are very content with saying they are going to leave town unless someone give them x. I say hit the road jack and don’t you come back.
fiscal man
January 18th, 2013
5:17 pm
Oh really who do you think is going to pay for the road improvements, sewers, lights, sidewalks and the rest of the bonds due on the Dome?
Mr. Mover
January 18th, 2013
5:18 pm
Every pro team in every city has threatened to move if they don’t get their way –i.e. have taxpayers pick up the tab for the billionaire owners
Things that make you go hmmm
January 18th, 2013
5:20 pm
All listen to td….why the new stadum will be paid for by the one game per year of the SEC championship. It’s gonna be an expensive boondoggle to have that $1B stadium paid for over 20 years with the “possibilty” of the SEC Championship game played there….what a homer for Blank.
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
5:27 pm
TD – We have had the Super Bowl twice in a stadium that is newer than the one they are playing it in this year. How often can we really have it here? Is the carrot of a super bowl every X years really worth the investment? Being used to twist arms. Economic benefits of Super Bowl are debatable. Indy didn’t seem to fare so well.
Chik FilA bowl will play in whatever stadium is available and I haven’t seen anything saying their shot at NC game is contingent on this.
Out and out fear mongering over what in the end is a debatable economic benefit for City.
Packers Fan in Atlanta
January 18th, 2013
5:35 pm
Make the fans pay for it!!!!
If you love your team so much take your money and pay for the stadium yourselves… then take the hotel tax and improve your 47th ranked educational system!!!!
It’s been proven in study after study that a new stadium does not help neighborhoods… for further proof check our Summerhill, Mechanicsville, and Peoplestown near Turner field.
Angry Voter
January 18th, 2013
5:36 pm
@td – you do realize you are advocating the law be changed while, at the same time, claiming the law cannot be changed, right? If the law cannot be changed, the stadium cannot be built. If the law can be changed to allow the stadium to be built, it can also be changed to allow the funds to be used for education, infrastructure, public safety or the like.
So which is it? The law cannot be changed? Then there is no new stadium? Or the law can be changed? Then the funds could possibly be used for just about anything.
babymama
January 18th, 2013
5:40 pm
Enter your comments here
How many has actually gotten a call from one of these polls??
Angry Voter
January 18th, 2013
5:46 pm
Why does there have to be borrowing and a bond issue. Why can’t the authority start saving money and pay for the stadium once the money is in place to pay for the stadium and the needed infrastructure? No borrowing, no risk.
You would think even less intelligent people like Reed would look at Detroit, Buffalo and Harrisburg and realize the risks involved in making a future generation liable for the city debts of today. Who wants to live, work or travel in an area where they are having to pay for past decisions when they can go to an area unencumbered by these obligations. That’s the reason so many people fled the northeast and came to Atlanta in the first place, and will be the reason people start to flee Atlanta, making our house prices similar to those in Detroit or Braddock.
James
January 18th, 2013
5:51 pm
Ownership? Yeah, that means the State of Georgia will have all of the legal liability for anything that goes wrong at the stadium. Arthur Blank however will get all the revenues. Not just from Falcons games, but from all events at the stadium. For that he’ll pay a token amount of rent per year that is equal to 1/200th of the taxpayer cost. The ownership angle is a huge scam. Just more of socializing the risks and privatizing the profits that have become the American Way.
And we should call his bluff on moving to the suburbs. There is no metro government that can come up with the money needed for infrastructure requirements. The old GM site is out of the question because Doraville has stated repeatedly that they don’t want the stadium in their backyard. Blank is painting himself into the corner more and more each day. The only way this goes through is if the Falcons win the Super Bowl and he is very generous to the campaign funds of the majority of members of the legislature.
One thing is for sure, none of us will ever get to vote on this. We the People simply can’t be trusted to make the right decision to enrich a billionaire with a pipeline from the public treasury into his bank account.
If he wants to move the team to Portland or Salt Lake City, let him. Eight to ten games a year aren’t enough to make it worth the price. Besides, we have college football, which is pretty much superior in every way to National Yawn League.
Kris T.
January 18th, 2013
6:04 pm
Fan “”Anyone remember Falcons 1981 playoffs? Repeat coming up”"”
Yeah that was when the Falcons basically forgot how to play football. Kinda looked like it was a fall down…
Shady deal and Ga legislator…..WE NEED JOBS State wide Good paying….Do you understand?
Bye Shady and some of the current GOP slime…
Fan
January 18th, 2013
6:08 pm
@Kris T. – lol. I hear ya. Only a few of us “oldies” remember that one in 1981. We’ll see how they do, as they say, the team that gives up the ball the most usually loses.
Kenman
January 18th, 2013
6:14 pm
Another bogus poll and misleading headline, a Galloway specialty!
Glenn
January 18th, 2013
6:27 pm
Atlanta isn’t getting the Super Bowl because the Falcons play in the GA Dome. Another Super Bowl being played in Atlanta would pump in millions upon millions of dollars into our economy, which will more than help offset any public funds that may be used to build the new stadium. And that would be for just one Super Bowl being played here. New Orleans is playing their 2nd or 3rd at the Super Dome (I believe) so imagine the Return on Investment long term and this is a no-brainer.
Kris T.
January 18th, 2013
6:29 pm
Fan, I made A bad mistake I placed a small bet on them. My bookie was honest and gave back the money, sating I only take bets on real football teams..
Down in flames Sunday…no betting for me….
honested
January 18th, 2013
6:30 pm
Glenn,
Quick, how much money really came into Atlanta as a result of the last super bowl?
Only a fool would assume anything like ‘millions upon millions’.
It never ceases to amaze me the money so called ‘conserrrrrrvatives’ will waste on foolishness while ignoring the costs of real needs.
Buckhead Boy
January 18th, 2013
6:34 pm
Burroughston Broch: “Did you say the same thing about AIG insuring mortgage-based financial instruments before 2008? We all know how well that worked. Come up with another platitude to sell.”
No, I didn’t; because I recognize that there is no equivalency in the writing of financial guaranty insurance and swaps. If, however, you can cite one instance where AMBAC, MBIA or other guarantor has defaulted on a municipal bond issue, I would entertain that your analogy is less than inapt.
td
January 18th, 2013
6:34 pm
honested
January 18th, 2013
6:30 pm
“Quick, how much money really came into Atlanta as a result of the last super bowl?”
Quick how much money have we spent to end poverty since the beginning of the “great society”? How much has our poverty roles lessened since 1965?
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
6:47 pm
Buckhead – I am not sure about the numbers you cited, but will accept those unless research shows otherwise, but surely we can agree revenue bonds are not risk free and it is not unheard of that they default.
honested
January 18th, 2013
6:48 pm
td,
Ameliorating poverty (promoting general welfare) is one of those pesky Constitutional Concerns.
Taxpayer money to provide subsidized sports palaces to for profit companies already exempt from anti-trust statute is not.
I am not disturbed about ameliorating poverty at all.
At the same time, I don’t want to spend a confiscated penny on sports palaces.
td
January 18th, 2013
6:56 pm
honested
January 18th, 2013
6:48 pm
td,
Ameliorating poverty (promoting general welfare) is one of those pesky Constitutional Concerns.
Total BS. Another made up right the progressives invented to turn this nation more socialist.
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
7:11 pm
TD – notice honested never said right, but constitutional concern as those nutty socialist writers of the Constitition included the general welfare in that document you may not be too familiar with.
We can debate government role in promoting general welfare, but if your position is that it is made up then you need to check what was slipped into your tea.
James
January 18th, 2013
7:20 pm
Glenn, thanks for mentioning the Super Dome, which completely disproves that we need a new stadium. The Georgia Dome opened in 1992 while the Super Dome opened in 1975. The Super Dome, including this year, has had seven Super Bowls. If the Falcons have ruined the Georgia Dome while the Saints took care of their stadium, then not only should the Falcons have to build their own new stadium, they should pay the state of Georgia for the stadium they’ve treated so poorly that it must be torn down. Instead of spending $500,000,000 of public money on Blank’s new stadium and all the required public infrastructure, he should be giving that money to the people of the State of Georgia for destroying their stadium.
This is about Blank wanting to show up his other rich friends, most of whom have been more successful in getting public money into their private bank accounts. It’s not about Atlanta, or the Falcons, or the Super Bowl. It’s a contest to see which rich kid has the biggest johnson. If other cities want to be that stupid, let them, but we’re not so insecure here as to open the public treasury for Blank to raid just so we can have one evening in the spotlight.
Burroughston Broch
January 18th, 2013
7:31 pm
@ Buckhead Boy
AMBAC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 8, 2010.
Moody’s downgraded MBIA’s rating all the way from AAA in February 2008 to Caa2 (junk status) last November 19. It is on life support, and 5 days ago the State of New York has prohibited it from making required interest payments.
Neither one is in the financial condition to guarantee bonds.
The ball is back in your court.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 18th, 2013
7:32 pm
General welfare is one thing – promoting sloth and laziness is something entirely different.
td
January 18th, 2013
8:03 pm
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
7:11 pm
It may not have actually said “right” but the connotation of the post implies that is what was intended.
If you believe “general welfare” means to take care of or have people dependent on then you are the one that is sadly mistaken.
honested
January 18th, 2013
8:14 pm
td,
If I had meant ‘right’ I would have said so.
You should know by now that I am very interested in speaking clearly and accurately.
Promoting General Welfare is clearly stated in the Constitution and attending to that goal has been an interest of all successful political leaders in our history since it was written.
On the other hand, I do not recall any statements suggesting ‘transferring wealth from the Citizens through the State into the hands of Private individuals for the purpose of self aggrandizement.
If I missed the paragraph, please enlighten me.
Otherwise, the focus of this discussion is the latter, despite the pathetic attachment many on this and other public forums want to display their warped distaste for the former.
rivercard
January 18th, 2013
8:56 pm
James – Couldn’t have said it better and probably not as well.
Kennesaw Fan
January 19th, 2013
1:19 am
Don’t need a new stadium, and really don’t need to get stuck with the so called seat tax that Blank is proposing. Every season ticket holder I have talked to says they will not pay a seat tax to have the “right” to then purchase a season ticket. We will go back to the days when every game was blacked out in Atlanta because they are not sold out. If the toilet bowl that is New Orleans can keep getting Super Bowls in that dump of a dome they have, then we should get one as well without a new stadium. Or not. Who cares?
Buckhead Boy
January 19th, 2013
7:00 am
Burroughston Broch, the troubles of those two companies arose from their RMBS lines. Again, my suggestion was cite one instance of a guarantor defaulting on a municipal bond issue, not endeavor to support an inapt analogy inaptly.
Burroughston Broch
January 19th, 2013
9:15 am
@ Buckhead Boy
I haven’t found one yet, but found this. All of the remaining bond insurers are on financial life support. Warren Buffet got out of the business. The remaining companies are severely weakened and their ability to cover claims are in doubt. While 55% of municipal debt was insured prior to 2007, only 5% of newly-issued municipal debt is insured today.
Looking forward, the odds of insured municipal debt default are much increased (think Jefferson County AL, Harrisburg PA, Stockton CA, etc.). Taking the attitude that it can’t happen here is putting on blinders.
You spend your money on the stadium bonds if you feel so inclined; I’ll put mine elsewhere.
Quackerz
January 19th, 2013
12:48 pm
Take a few moments and learn what building stadiums for the Bengals and Reds is costing taxpayers in Cincinnati. It’s a nightmarish money sinkhole that will drag taxpayers down for decades, and when the economy takes a downturn…..lookout. Just a friendly warning for those inclined to say “yes”.
Randolph Phillips
January 19th, 2013
5:59 pm
The people of Georgia should never have put their money into the Falcons playing field. The Falcons and their billionaire owner should foot the bill, and if they can fool Atlantans and Fulton Countians to help them, that’s Ok too. Let fools and their money be separated.
As for that little $300 million additional bonds the state would pay for on the new dome, The World Congress Center Authority has already gobbled up several Billion dollars taxes from Georgians outside Atlanta because of Jimmy Carter, Tom Murphy, Joe Frank Harris, and Zell Miller. It’s time to let Atanta have that white elephant, which was built in the first place “to save Atlanta” back in the 1970s.
PS: Don’t forget that Roy Barnes and the Democrat legislature signed an agreement with Marcus for the World Congress to take over that big old money pit the “Georgia” Aquarium shortly after ‘Roy got beat for re-election. I think the state will take it over this year, and very shortly taxpayers all over Georgia will be asked to pay for repairs, renovations, and expansions of this moneypit.
Our legislators are picking our pockets for the benefit of downtown Atlanta chain hotels, restaurants, and the “big :picture” scams of the likes of Arthur Blank and the Falcons and The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.