Comments on Advance Indiana™: Extortion Efforts For Pacers Stepped Up

Gary, I love how you don't flinch and just cal...

2009-08-20T10:41:25.877-05:00

Gary, I love how you don't flinch and just call out this bullsh*t for exactly what it is!

THANK YOU!

If the Pacers leave and the occupancy rate in the ...

2009-08-19T22:56:17.403-05:00

If the Pacers leave and the occupancy rate in the business buildings is over 70% because of the business those companies do the city of Indianapolis would collect far more taxes of income, sales and property taxes than the ticket prices for the Pacers.

This should be about the business climate in Indianapolis and not about the ball climate. Lilly was here far before the Pacers and Colts,

The money being thrown at the CIB should be directed towards a group leading the way to bring business to Indianapolis. Lilly made it without the Colts and Pacers. The excuse the business will only move to Indianapolis because sports teams give them something to do is lame.

Give the business owners economic incentive, promote the true and long standing positive things about Indiana of strong work ethic, great universities, strong and vibrant state parks, the self paying Indianapolis 500, Brickyard and other events by tax paying citizens.

Companies move because of quality of life and not just $50.00 tickets, $4.50 hotdogs and $5.00 beer.

Who needs leverage when one has friends in governm...

2009-08-19T22:50:48.054-05:00

Who needs leverage when one has friends in government ready and willing to rob the taxpayers.

I've read the Pacers contract. Although the p...

2009-08-19T22:03:30.757-05:00

I've read the Pacers contract. Although the pertinent paragraph is single spaced and stretches out over three pages, it looks like to me that the 10 year early termination provision only applies:

1) if the Pacers are losing money.
2) the Simons sell the team; and
3) the team relocates.

Even if those three conditions apply to give the Simons an early out, they still have to pay penalties equal the first year to 50% of what the team sells for. There is another alterantive penalty but it pretty closely approximates that penalty. The Pacers appear to have no leverage whatsoever.

That must explain why so many companies located in...

2009-08-19T21:14:16.641-05:00

That must explain why so many companies located in the Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, even though there were no professional sports teams there. If the Colts or Pacers were that big of a deal to Safeway, the company would have stayed downtown instead of moving to the far northside.

I think it is naive to say companies don't kee...

2009-08-19T21:09:25.287-05:00

I think it is naive to say companies don't keep companies somewhere or move them somewhere because of a professional sports team. Who runs companies? A bunch of wealth executives who want cool stuff for their friends to do. If the choice is locate in Columbus, Ohio or Indianapolis, I can actually see a CEO feeling there is "more to do" in Indianapolis. Nobody wants to confront this part of capitalism - that we have always and will always - kowtow to millionaires and their hobbies.

--The Gary Pacers! ...kind of has a ring to the...

2009-08-19T18:19:10.950-05:00

--The Gary Pacers!

...kind of has a ring to the name, doesn't it???

Those thugs need to take their team to Oakland!

2009-08-19T18:17:54.216-05:00

Those thugs need to take their team to Oakland!