Oakland A's headed to Las Vegas

It's just Richmond City, not the surrounding areas. Trying to build revenue to fix the school system, I s'pose.

 

But why would the residents approve that?

 

One less team to chase free agents, for now. Bad for players, good for owners.

Anyway, why can't those mixed-use projects -- retail, housing, etc., -- be built without the most expensive part in the first place? Hmmm...

 

Don't forget the increasing costs of attending these games with the price of parking, drinks, concessions, etc.

 

It went through city council. Also, I misspoke. It's a 7.5 percent meals tax. I have no idea where I got that 13 percent number from.

 

This is a good point. Fans who buy tickets, who way back in the day were the natural political constituency for new and improved stadiums and arenas, now all realize that a new building means only a new means to extort more money from them to support their habit, er, team. So why should they vote for it?

 

I saw this up close three years ago when we were in Arlington and did a tour of Globe Life Field. The "entertainment district" that is between AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field (and, I suppose, the old Rangers' stadium) had a lot of fun options. The sports bar was great, too. Going to a stadium for three hours and then heading home is no longer the norm.

 

Had this board existed in 1957, I wonder what the reactions would have been to the Dodgers (two years removed from a WS title) and Giants (three years removed from a WS appearance) moving.

Hell, not even that far back. 1991, the North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup final. Two years later, they were gone.

 

I'm going to sound like bitchy old man because I am, but when I was a teenager a friend of mine and I drove from Pittsburgh to Cleveland on a whim to watch an Indians-Mariners game at the old stadium on a Friday night. I wanted to see Municipal Stadium one last time and he wanted to see Griffey, who was in the middle of his home run streak at the time. I was working at a waterslide park for the summer and he was working for the city of McKeesport in a summer job, but we both were able to buy upper deck seats, grab a couple of hot dogs and a drink and hit the team store for a hat or whatever. Now? You're blowing through two weeks pay at least on what a teenager is making.

And they want to build stadiums that cost even more to enter and enjoy. It's insane.

 

Because you still need to add the state sales tax, which puts you at 13%-ish.

Add a 20% tip and your $50 meal is now $66.50.

 

I am no expert on Oakland politics but I was told by an Oakland friend that the previous mayor, Libby Schaaf, was an opponent of subsidized stadiums and deserves the blame or the credit.

I also think the point Frank White made about local parks and community centers is valid. Extra monies for parks and bike trails in my neighborhood create far more value for me, even economically, than for professional sports teams arenas that I would very rarely attend.

 

Restaurant taxes are perceived as mostly falling on the commuters and/or affluent who eat out more and at more expensive restaurants, A high restaurant tax can frequently be found in localities with a sales tax exemption of food at the grocery store.