I’ve got a simple statement that needs to be chiseled in stone on the steps of every state legislature (and possibly the skull of many governors). You might want to write this down for future generations because it’s true and habitually ignored:
It is not now, nor has it ever been, the legitimate business of any branch of the United States Government to build sports arenas for the benefit of private owners.
Governments have legitimate duties; maintaining borders, negotiating treaties, defense in times of war, etc… Stadiums for private entities are not among those duties.
I know. I’ve heard it all. It’s good for the community, multiplier factor, go team, role models for children, makes the community better, blah blah blah. I don’t care.
Even if you were born with you favorite team’s name tattooed on your ass it doesn’t matter. I don’t care if your team is so awesome they can levitate the ball through the hoop using force of will. I don’t care if they cure cancer at halftime. I don’t care if the new stadium shits a truckload of solid gold for the treasury.
Profitability doesn’t make wrong into right. Popularity does not make wrong into right. Using the force of government to build a toy for a private franchise owner is immoral, it’s wrong, and it’s not the proper role of the government.
If you want an arena, build one. You can build it any time you can afford it. That’s freedom.
If you can’t afford it, band together with other folks and form an organization called a business, sell stock or your soul or whatever you need to and invest in the construction. Sell tickets and get filthy stinking rich. That’s capitalism.
If you can’t afford to pay for it you can’t own it. If a business can’t afford to pay for it they can’t own it. That’s life.