Fraters Libertas

Random Rumblings

Tobin writes on the seemingly never ending stadium debate here in Minnesota:

Coinciding with the end of the Vikings season, with this year's legislative session the stadium issue is bound to heat up once again. I'm a firm believer that the state benefits from having professional sports teams for many reasons. Since I'm not a Vikings or Twins fan (although I do cheer for the Timberwolves, Wild and Gophers) the primary reason I'm in favor of building stadium(s) is economic benefits. It's because of the Twins and/or Vikings that the Metrodome exists. And it looking at the history of that facility, it seems that it has been one of the best investments that state lawmakers have ever made. It was completed on time and under budget and was completely paid for years ago. The revenue that it has *produced* over the years couldn't have been duplicated by any other means: the tax revenue from players' salaries (both home team and opposing players) the economic benefit similar to what St. Paul has seen from the Xcel Center and the benefit from special events such as Final Four basketball tournaments (why else would people from North Carolina come to Minnesota in March?).

So it's rather irritating to me that despite the success we've seen with other similar controversial projects (Xcel Center, Target Center, the Metrodome, the Mall of America) that the current stadium issue has stalled for so long. I have no doubt that if Red McCombs remains the owner of the Vikings he will attempt to move them out of the state if the current no-progress scenario is repeated.

While this may not be material you want to discuss on the Fraters blog, I'm interested in your views.

Public financing for professional sports stadiums is an issue that I've had a change of heart on in recent years. I was a proponent in the past, mostly for selfish motives. I wanted an NHL team in St. Paul and I wanted (and still do want) to be able to watch baseball games the way they were meant to be watched: outside. Since the State was already spending obscene amounts of money on other ventures that provided little or no benefit to me, why shouldn't some of my hard earned (and easily confiscated) tax dollars go to something that I would actually enjoy for a change? I also bought into the notion that stadiums were good for the local economies: revitalization of neighborhoods, multiplier factors and all that.

Now, I've come to realize that public spending on pro stadiums is not an appropriate function for government and I oppose any and all stadium proposals that involve public financing on that principle. I may want to watch the Twins play in the open air, but I can't in good conscience call for government spending to make it happen.

And almost every study on the subject (King could confirm this) has shown that there is no overall net economic benefit to building stadiums for communities. All you end up doing is diverting money from one place to another.

Dean has some advice and a warning:

I read your blog daily, love the radio show... I think you guys are getting too big for your britches however. I think you'se have Andrew Sullivan syndrome. 'Crainius Gigantus'. Keep thinking locally please!

Anyway... It's easy to get past the www.startribune.com registration page. When you click on a link that brings you to the registration page, immediately click on the "back" button. If you click back and forward enough times, usually five or six times, you will get through to the article you want. Often you have to go back two levels to the Strib homepage and then forward again to the article. It always works for me.

Andrew Sullivan Syndrome eh? That may explain the hiatus that JB's been on lately. Should I be worried about the rumor that he's looking into a timeshare in P- Town?

Mike passes on a discovery:

For reasons I won't disclose, I was searching Google Images for "passed out drunk", and guess who's first in line?

Congratulations.

Thanks Mike. Our parents will be so proud.

Speaking of passed out drunk, Joshua from Three Knockdown Rule, submits this for our consideration:

I didn't know which of the wunderkinds at your blog to mail this to, so if you aren't the right one, please forward it to the blogger with the most drinking experience. This article from the Drudge Report needs the commentary of a true expert in the field of alcohol consumption. Naturally Fraters Libertas sprang to mind.

Naturally Atomizer sprang to mind. His response:

"Sherry enemas? What a joke. Everyone knows that real men only use gin. There is nothing like the sensation of a Bombay Sapphire blast. Clears out your system and gives you a nice buzz to boot. Why do you think I also leave Keegan's early on Thursday nights? To see my wife?"