The bucks just keep piling up for Colts' owner Jim Irsay from the new Lucas Oil Stadium, while the bills and debt for taxpayers mount. Irsay inked another sponsorship deal with Sprint as the stadium's east gate sponsor. The Colts refused to publicly release the amount of the deal, but the IBJ says the Colts were asking $1.4 million annually. The gate sponsorships are part of a project of the Colts to sell 12 sponsorships, with a goal of generating $10 million annually in additional revenue for Irsay. Isn't that the same amount of money taxpayers will need to find to pay the operating and maintenance costs on the new stadium--money which still needs to be found. Keep in mind the Colts are also collecting $120 million from Lucas Oil for the the naming rights for the stadium we built with our tax dollars.
And that's not all. The state has reached a deal with the Colts to allow them to use 1,500 parking spaces owned by the state at the Indiana Government Center Garage three blocks from the new stadium. You may recall that the Capital Improvement Board of Managers wanted the stadium authority to force out the Hurst Bean Company so it could construct a multi-million dollar parking garage next to the stadium so preferred ticket-holders could park inside and have quick access to the stadium. The Colts are getting the use of the state parking garage for the near-term for next to nothing as a short-term solution, suggesting the team has every intention of returning at a later date to seek their luxury parking garage. A WISH-TV report said it was unclear how much fans will have to pay to park in the state garage. Do you think the state plans to let Irsay pocket those revenues as well?
You can bet the backers of the stadium will boast about how much money they saved taxpayers with this temporary parking solution. The truth of the matter is that those folks tried to pull a fast one on the taxpayers. If the Hurst family hadn't stood up and fought back, we would have already started constructing that new parking garage. And today's announcement proves that we never needed the garage those stadium backers were trying to force upon the public.
9 comments:
Last year I saw Jim Hurst at a Libertarian fundraiser for Mike Kole and asked how much he spent defending his land against the government. His answer was $750,000 CASH!
In other news...you did see that Ron Paul raised another $6 million yesterday, didn't you? No one has ever beat that record. Kerry came close in 04, but only after he won the primary.
His grass roots supporters bought a Ron Paul R[EVOL]UTION blimp that is making national news.
I do think our country is finally waking up. I predict Ron Paul will win the primary. It is curious how mainstream media and "insiders" make fun of Ron Paul. It's not too different
than how they treated Ballard.
www.RonPaul2008.com
You know, tonight when I heard the so called 'deal' for the parking I thought that using existing parking is no deal for us. Hello Indianapolis! When are you going to wake up and stop this madness!
Melyssa, Ron Paul win the primary? Please. The comparrison between Ballard and Paul is laughable.
The Stadium Authority had to give up 1,500 of State owned parking to satisfy the loss of 2.5 acres of parking (as asserted at http://wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7509013)?
2.5 acres (Hurst remaining land) of parking equates to MAYBE 375 spaces.
Those great bargain makers in David Frick and the Stadium Authority again deliver great value to us taxpayers.
It seems in Indiana, you can never spend too much on sports arenas and roads.
None of this is about needs; it is all about wants. Jim Irsay wants to our money, so we give it to them - and the world is a better place for it.
If you want to be upset, blame Peterson. he signed this deal and then said let us put slots in Indy to fund it. The state stepped in and took over the deal, but was still stuck with the promises Peterson made.
However 2 things to consider:
1. Without the new oldfield, the convention center does not get expanded, which means the loss of conventions, and
2. If you don't support the stadium/convention center: don't pay the tax. If you avoid going out to eat in Marion or the donut counties, avoid staying in hotels in Indy, and avoid renting cars, and you're not paying the tax.
laughable? as in Ballard winning?
Anyone paying their "fair share" to the government is a fool.
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