MLB - Subsidy Stadium

Arena

The city of Cleveland continues to see little sin tax revenue all the while the Indians & Cavaliers are demanding $400M in upcoming repairs

by William Neilson Jr.December 21, 2025January 8, 20261

Over the last few months, plenty of articles have been written about how exactly the city of Cleveland is going to pay for the millions and millions of upgrades that their local sports owners are demanding. Gateway Economic Development Corporation, the owner of the Cleveland Indians ballpark (Progressive Field) and the Cleveland Cavaliers arena (Rocket Arena), is supposed to pay for venue upgrades with revenues from a 1990 voter-approved sin tax. But the sin tax has never come close to producing the revenue needed for venue updates. This means that the city has been forced to pay for venue upgrades through other city means, the general fund included.

Ballpark

The Kansas City Royals continue to push forward on one of the worst organized ballpark plans ever put together

by William Neilson Jr.December 18, 2025January 15, 20261

A few months ago, I wrote a story on the Kansas City Royals and their crazy ways of trying to convince taxpayers to give them a billion dollars through an increased sales tax (for a new ballpark). As I said in the story, the Royals decided that the best way to do this was by making sure that residents were “confused about every detail of their potential ballpark.” Rather than finish important deals months before the vote on the new sales tax, the Royals were completing them “just a week or two before the sales tax vote, leaving people with little opportunity to read or review (any) documents for themselves.” Mind you, all of this comes after the owner wrote a letter to everyone stating how much he values residents and transparency.

Buffalo is struggling to limit city leaders access to the luxury suites at the Bills new stadium

by William Neilson Jr.November 17, 2025January 15, 20260

Last year, the Buffalo Bills beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC playoff game. The Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, billed taxpayers for almost $600 worth of wine and a total bill that day of $1923 and change. As the Buffalo News reported, it would eventually come out that taxpayers had paid “more than $6300” for the governor to attend four different games. According to the state and county, this luxury suite is “meant to boost economic development.” I wish someone would explain to me how this happens…in any way, shape, or form. The spokesman for the governor claimed, without laughing out loud, that when the governor attends a game in the luxury suite, she is “ensuring our state is competing at the highest levels to retain and attract the best businesses, grow our economy, and drive job creation.” Quotes like this are what make people hate politicians. Nobody actually believes this, but it allows that official to get out of harm’s way. Again, show us a single piece of evidence of any financial benefit actually formed from attending these games. Anything?

Ballpark

The Kansas City Royals owner keeps promising to be transparent in the future yet never seems to follow through

by William Neilson Jr.November 9, 2025January 15, 20260

The survey asked questions about the ballpark being located in downtown, near downtown, Clay County/North Kansas City and Johnson County/Overland Park. The Royals claim that this survey is meant to “optimize fans experiences” in their new ballpark. Whatever that means. In addition to the survey, Sherman released a statement where he claimed that the Royals were “constantly engaging and listening to” their fans. Really? Maybe Sherman can answer the fan who told KSHB that when he received the survey from the team, he simply asked himself, “What exactly is the plan?” Nobody knows.

Ballpark

“Business groups” in Kansas City push local officials to build the Royals a new ballpark…without disclosing the Royals connections to the groups

by William Neilson Jr.May 5, 2025January 15, 20261

When the Kansas City Royals tried to garner some support for the sales tax vote last year, they paid a company, Jones Lang LaSalle, a Chicago-based real estate company, to write and release an economic impact report on a potential ballpark. But, it didn’t take long for problems to come out of this idea. The Royals paid Jones Lang LaSalle to write this report without caring or realizing that Jones Lang LaSalle had no experience with economic impact reports for ballparks or even sports venues. Even worse, the Royals didn’t just pay Jones Lang LaSalle but they also “worked on the projections”.

Ballpark

The Anaheim Angels must keep their ballpark in “first class” condition. Why can’t cities & counties use the Angels definition of first-class?

by William Neilson Jr.March 11, 2025January 15, 20262

The Anaheim Angels need to be held to the same standard as sports teams holding their cities when the government handles the facility. However, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see some local leaders appearing to give the team ways out of their lease agreement. Others suggest the ballpark is, in fact, a first-class ballpark right now. One City Councilman told a local media outlet that the lease agreement to him seemed “vague” and that he believes the team has “met its obligations”.

Ballpark

The Tampa Bay Rays owner and executives should be embarrassed at their recent comments

by William Neilson Jr.February 16, 2025January 15, 20261

The Tampa Bay Rays are responsible for all cost overruns and have one of the cheapest and worst owners in all sports. So, it would make sense that Sternberg could be getting nervous and is trying to find any way possible to get out of this deal. One of the Rays team presidents, Silverman, not that long ago stated how the current deal may not be good for the Rays “in the context of Major League Baseball and fielding a competitive team for the next 30 years”. I do not understand the last part of this comment. Is he saying that this deal will not allow the team to compete moving forward? What? How? According to Auld, the Rays are frustrated at local leaders having fixed Tropicana Field with “only the bare minimum” repairs. Except, wait a second, who stopped the city from fixing the Rays ballpark months ago?

Stadium

Houston Texans stadium continues to haunt local leaders as one of the worst financial stadium deals

by William Neilson Jr.February 4, 2025July 27, 20251

Residents of Harris County should pay attention to this part because “taxpayers will have to pitch in to close that gap”. You better because the Texans, a team worth over $6 billion, are “frustrated” at the “lack of maintenance”. When Houston got the Super Bowl in 2017, the team got angry at the county because of their refusal to pay for expensive upgrades that would just be used for the Super Bowl. Don’t you worry though, as city leaders got Super Bowl tickets for free, rather than having to pay the $3,000-$4,000 required for a ticket. Some people have argued that the Texans do, in fact, pay $4 million in rent every year! Yes, and in seven of the last eight years, the team has gotten tax rebates that are worth more than their rent payment. How lucky. Houston also had two other sports venues for their NHL team and MLB team. Both of those venues allow the owner to upgrade whenever they want, but from their own pocket. These two venues also keep the revenue from all off-season events, which can be a financial help if properly used.

Arena

For the 57th time, Detroit gives the Ilitch family taxpayer money only for them to not finish the part that benefits taxpayers

by William Neilson Jr.January 31, 2025July 27, 20251

A few months into 2023, the Ilitch family decided that they had no gotten enough taxpayer money out of the city and state. So the city of Detroit gave them “significant savings on property taxes for the next 30 years”. You may be wondering why the city is giving them a tax break? Well, these tax savings, according to the city, will “be used to fund the development of the District Detroit project”. Excuse me? The project that the Ilitch family got millions for previously and did nothing? Some estimate that the total subsidy given to the Ilitch family totals $800M, which is half of the projects $1.5B cost.

Ballpark

Why are the Tampa Bay Rays publicly crying about rising ballpark costs yet refusing to give the mayor any evidence of this financial increase?

by William Neilson Jr.January 28, 2025January 15, 20261

In June 2024, the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a $1.3 billion deal with both the city of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County. The initial numbers given to the public about costs showed that $600 million would be split between the city and county while the Rays pick up the rest, totaling $700 million. These numbers are insanely misleading for several reasons. One, they don’t include the many hundred of millions that the city/county will need to spend on infrastructure improvements. Two, the lack of property taxes is not included in these numbers. Three, there are still so many things that we still don’t know about the agreement. Florida Tax Watch wrote a report showing how the total for both the city and county will more than likely be around $2.4 billion when everything is calculated.

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