Colts Get Credit For Taxpayers Contributions

A couple of months ago, we learned that the IHSA was considering moving the high school football finals to another venue because it could not afford the higher costs they were being charged to hold the finals in Lucas Oil Stadium compared to the RCA Dome. Unlike the RCA Dome lease agreement with the Colts, the team gets to keep half of all non-game event revenues generated by the stadium built with taxpayers money. On top of that, the fees to hold events at LOS are anywhere from 25% to 40% higher. One of the reasons the CIB needs a bailout is because it needs additional grant money to offset the higher fees groups must pay to use LOS; otherwise, the groups will take their events elsewhere. Not to miss out on a public relations moment, the Colts put out a press release announcing that the team had come to the rescue and would now sponsor the IHSA's football finals. Naturally, the media took the bait hook, line and sinker. The Colts boast that they are the first NFL team in the country to step up and offer this type of sponsorship. Aren't you ever so grateful? Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Ballard will continue his tax and spend plan to bail out the CIB to the tune of $47 million a year so it can afford to make grants to other organizations so they can afford to host their events at LOS.