Comments on: Publically financed stadiums a waste of taxpayer money

By: Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:11:06 +0000

Sad but all too true. Seems like someone tried to tell everyone this, but he got in trouble for speaking against the mafia.

By: Bob G.

Bob G. — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:38:23 +0000

Hey, but at least the MINIMUM WAGE has gone up…yay for the concession stands at Costaplenty Square!

B.G.

By: Jeff Pruitt

Jeff Pruitt — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:22:46 +0000

Hey you took my post!

I’m just glad somebody highlighted this story. I challenged anyone to provide any substantive data that HS would produce quality jobs. All I saw were hand-waving arguments…

By: Bobett

Bobett — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:50:22 +0000

As an Allen County citizen that pays taxes to the City and County,
I second the motion of saying, This H.S. baseball stadium, retail, and condos is not a 50% public stockholder investment.

Rather this development to improve downtown will be 100% privately held and paid 100% by the public.

Welcome to the good ole’ adda boy network of Fort Wayne, Indiana 2008.

By: Mike Sylvester

Mike Sylvester — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:55:16 +0000

Squarefinger,

Yes I could have.

I have been saying this for years and our City Council and Mayor just keep drinking the “koolaid.”

Mike Sylvester

By: Bob G.

Bob G. — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:13:19 +0000

I guess those SPORTS ECONOMISTS must read YOUR blog as well as MINE, eh Dan?
Now you know why I called this downtown white elephant COSTAPLENTY SQUARE in the first place!
Ft. Wayne needs a helluva lot more things taken care of than another ballpark…and it will contnue to need them after this fiasco is built (and never quite paid for).

It’s JUST like Atlantic City and ALL the casinos along the boardwalk….walk less than TWO blocks away from them, and you’re in a damn SLUM!

NO ONE ever seems to look at the LONG TERM results.
Someday…they WILL pay attention.

B.G.

By: Squarefinger

Squarefinger — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:25:33 +0000

Mike Sylvester could have wrote this.

“Yes, stadiums do create high-paying construction jobs for a year or two. But the vast majority of long-term employment is low-wage concession jobs.”

“So in the end, what did the taxpayers get other than a bill for $611 million? The Washington Nationalâ€™s Web site advertises jobs for elevator operators, fan ambassadors and security guards. The pay is $7.50-$8.50 an hour.”