This won’t be a long story. I just see this type of thing on a daily basis, and it always bothers me. In today’s world, when you write a story about changes to a sports team venue, isn’t it vital to find out who is paying for those changes? Why do I see so many articles out there that discuss arena, ballpark, or stadium changes costing taxpayers countless millions yet, the topic of who pays for what is either not talked about or just implied incorrectly by the writer? In Jacksonville, their minor league team will have $30 million worth of changes coming to their ballpark. Apparently, many believe that the team is paying for these upgrades.
When a local station wrote a story about the ballpark improvements, the article started it off with this paragraph:
“The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp unveiled plans to put over $30 million into renovating the 121Financial Ballpark — the first major renovation since its opening in 2003” — News4Jax, 02/29/24
The story goes on to talk about how the “team plans to build” a facility in right field and center field, a souvenir shop and a concourse level. Towards the end of the article, a fan is quoted saying that he loves the improvements because it shows that the team was “putting that type of money” into the ballpark. The team is really putting their wallet on the line. Is there anyone who reads the previous sentences and believes that the team is not paying for the entire project?
Except, they are actually doing nothing of the sorts. The minor league team is not putting anything into the ballpark, nor are they planning to build anything. The city is actually paying $31 million dollars to make all of these changes. You just wouldn’t know it from the reporting of this story.
While I will admit that most stories on this subject DO point out that the money is from taxpayers, I continue to see things that state:
- How the Jumbo Shrimp are taking the “wraps off the most ambitious plans in franchise history” or
- How the “Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are spending 31.8 million…to renovate 121 Financial Ballpark” or
- How the “(Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are) planning a major upgrade to the facility” or
- How the “Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are planning a major upgrade to 121 Financial Ballpark”.
To be fair, the last quote from above came from the Sports Business Journal, and they did, in fact, write that the money was from taxpayers. But when you read lines like the above ones, are you not confused when you find out that the team is paying ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?
Another common theme is how often I saw both the team and the city go over-board with the changes being proposed. From what I can read, the initial big projects involve taking out adding a video board, removing bleachers, making a new entrance and more space for team offices and others. Yet somehow I see different people talking about how these changes are a “generational moment” for the city and fans, will be “transformational” for everyone, and will now allow for fans to create “life-lasting memories”. Since the lease between the city and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp lasts until 2043, I give it 3 more years until the team demands additional once-in-a-lifetime type changes that cost taxpayers many millions.
