Comments on Advance Indiana™: Pacers Still Have A Friend In The Star

This morning on WIBC the spokesperson working on t...

2010-06-07T14:09:06.047-05:00

This morning on WIBC the spokesperson working on the current version of the multi-million dollar City Market renovation, said he didn't know where they funds were coming from, just that the Mayor was 'committed' to doing it.

Fuggins. I didn't denegrate people who live or...

2010-06-06T20:57:06.298-05:00

Fuggins. I didn't denegrate people who live or work downtown. I merely suggested that I like being downtown, just hate going downtown. Mostly because parking is a hassle.

If Ballard goes forward with his plan to privatize...

2010-06-06T15:47:34.136-05:00

If Ballard goes forward with his plan to privatize parking meters, you may no longer be getting free parking in the evenings and on weekends. The private operator takes the view that people simply swipe their credit card and forget how much it actually costs to park compared to when they are paying money on the spot to use the space. I can tell you that it is nearly impossible to find a parking space anywhere near Circle Centre Mall on weekends. I don't even waste my time looking any more. I pay the $1.50 for short-term parking in the garage.

Sean, you sound as if you have a "burbs"...

2010-06-06T12:40:55.594-05:00

Sean, you sound as if you have a "burbs" mentality so that is where you belong.....There are many low priced parking lots available in the evening if you can't find a metered spot. If you prefer the chain restaurants of the burbs then you have the freedom to go there but why must you denigrate those who chose to socialize downtown.

We continue to pander to the super rich owners whi...

2010-06-06T12:19:44.653-05:00

We continue to pander to the super rich owners while our city and it's infrastructure crumbles and dies. Those uber rich owners will stay as long as their woeful pleas of poor me garner them a sufficient level of extorted dollars. Never mind the fact that the city is fiscally bankrupt our leaders will continue to kowtow to those owners until Indianapolis is a rotten hulk of it's former self.
In my opinion the city will fold to the Pacer's pleas; the city will state the same fallacious logic as always the perceived economic impact of pro sports.
Mr. Rosentraub what about the studies by other economists who continue to debunk the impact of pro sport? See Phil Potter(overcrowding effect)or Humphreys and Coates (Pro sports stadiums don't bolster local economies).

Thanks, dcrutch.

2010-06-06T11:43:59.168-05:00

Thanks, dcrutch.

You have to read this, Gary: Let private dollars ...

2010-06-06T11:35:03.243-05:00

You have to read this, Gary:

Let private dollars pay for N.Y. sports facilities

Why has Rosentraub changed his tune?

In 1999 his position was:

"There are at least two important roles for the public sector in uniting the Yankees' interest in a new or improved ballpark and the desire of private sector investors to help the team while rebuilding areas of the South Bronx. First, the city of New York and the Bronx borough president should convene meetings between the team and interested private investors. Together, these interests may be able to achieve their objectives without a public subsidy to the team.

"Second, if any stimulus is to be provided, it should come in the form of reduced state sales taxes (for a period of five to 10 years) for new retail centers built in declining areas. That is all that is needed to ensure the attraction of investors who want to work with the Yankees and redevelop the South Bronx."

In 2010, his position has become:

"There is no easy solution. If the Pacers and Conseco are losing money, then a public investment to secure the future of both is needed."

Rosentraub also wrote a book entitled "Major League Losers: The Real Costs of Professional Sports And Who’s Paying For It"

Wish I had a copy of it, don'tyou?

The best line in that article on the Star was : &...

2010-06-06T11:18:06.024-05:00

The best line in that article on the Star was :

"If the Pacers and Conseco are losing money, then a public investment to secure the future of both is needed."

Who in their right mind invests in known-losing propositions?

Unless I'm going to a game, which is very rare...

2010-06-06T10:59:23.446-05:00

Unless I'm going to a game, which is very rare, I avoid downtown on game night/day like the plague - absolutely. I also avoiding going downtown prior to 6:00 PM whenever possible to avoid the whole parking hassle.

Doing business, eating at a restaurant or whatever else is a lot more convenient in the 'burbs' because you park in a free lot that usually has open spaces that you can easily get in and out of. Going downtown means driving around the block a half dozen times wasting gas and spewing exhaust looking for an open meter (that isn't broken - parked at two of those last week and had find a new spot) before finally giving up and paying way to much for garage parking.

Government involvement in the sports franchises is just another form of economic interventionism. In any business if the marketplace is telling you that you don't have a viable enterprise because expenses (or player salaries) are too high, then the business must be changed, right-sized or develop a new model.

When government 'bails out' the endeavor, it prevents those actions from being taken by rendering those market signals not important as the downside risk in ignoring them is mitigated.

Exposure to journalism in college and believing in...

2010-06-06T10:42:35.492-05:00

Exposure to journalism in college and believing in it's necessity in free societies keeps me subscribing to the Star. But, at this point it's just about a religion, clinging to something that's nearly nebulous, certainly not practiced much in the current day.

I wouldn't mind going down what I percieve to be the wrong path so often, if we could have at least been exposed to a lucid even-handed presentation of both sides of the issue.

That's why blogs such as this one need your monetary support. Not just for exposure of both sides of the Pacers, but the water company transfer, Wishard, the CIB, election scheduling, council corruption, etc. If you don't like this blog, then support one you do like to get the information you won't get from a more diminished and partisan mass media. The blogs need your support or we won't hear about "it" anywhere.

Thanks for your work, Mr. Welsh.