Comments on: Professional sports http://thesteeves.org/dan/archives/165 Dan deposits bits, rants here Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:55:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Dan http://thesteeves.org/dan/archives/165/comment-page-1#comment-12555 Dan Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:06:20 +0000 http://thesteeves.org/dan/?p=165#comment-12555 Paul, I think there is are both small tangible and slightly larger intangible benefits to having the Vikes in town. The games themselves area giant entertainment event employing many (including players). The team is a decent size company. And, like it or not, a local NFL franchise is a drawing card for other business and workers. But you're right, the benefits are quite overstated by the franchise when making a case for huge tax subsidies or outright payments toward a new stadium. Paul, I think there is are both small tangible and slightly larger intangible benefits to having the Vikes in town. The games themselves area giant entertainment event employing many (including players). The team is a decent size company. And, like it or not, a local NFL franchise is a drawing card for other business and workers. But you’re right, the benefits are quite overstated by the franchise when making a case for huge tax subsidies or outright payments toward a new stadium.

]]> By: Paul http://thesteeves.org/dan/archives/165/comment-page-1#comment-12554 Paul Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:45:15 +0000 http://thesteeves.org/dan/?p=165#comment-12554 One of the arguments that irks me most about this nonsense is the claim that "the Vikings stadium project will deliver thousands of jobs". The Vikes don't make anything (not even play-offs, badum), and they sell almost nothing to foreigners, or even out-of-staters. What they do is provide a way for Minnesotans to spend their entertainment dollars. Other outlets exist for that, and without subsidies for stadiums there would even be more of those entertainment dollars to go round. So they don't *deliver* thousands of jobs, they just decide the type of jobs that would likely exist in some form anyway. I feel your pain, if not your tax burden. One of the arguments that irks me most about this nonsense is the claim that “the Vikings stadium project will deliver thousands of jobs”. The Vikes don’t make anything (not even play-offs, badum), and they sell almost nothing to foreigners, or even out-of-staters. What they do is provide a way for Minnesotans to spend their entertainment dollars. Other outlets exist for that, and without subsidies for stadiums there would even be more of those entertainment dollars to go round. So they don’t *deliver* thousands of jobs, they just decide the type of jobs that would likely exist in some form anyway.

I feel your pain, if not your tax burden.

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