Quote:
Originally Posted by SDCAL
Can you elaborate on what negative consequences you saw and in what cities? I've read and listened to various analysis on this, and they all seem to conclude that at least economically speaking the loss is not that great. Michael Leeds, a sports economist at Temple University said losing a major baseball team is about equivalent to a city losing a mid-sized department store in an NPR interview I listened to. Baseball teams have more home games than football teams do, so the assumption is losing a major league football team would have a very small financial impact. Perhaps you are talking about non-economic consequences like a feeling of lost identity or losing a major cultural institution?
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Hmmm... I don't recall making an economic argument in my post, but one thing I've learned on these boards is that people often see what they want in a post no matter what you actually write.
I don't think an economic impact argument is the way to go for sports teams. And while I might argue that the Chargers have more impact on our city that does a 99 cents store, or even a single Walmart, I wouldn't use an economic argument to support my position.
I am a believer in the benefits of catalyst development. The Gaslamp does not exist as we know it without the convention center, and East Village would not be experiencing its renaissance without Petco.
I believe that the Mission Valley site would enjoy similar success with a new stadium at the Qualcomm site.
My point about losing the Charges is better placed in the "Don't know what you've got til it's gone" file.
It's easy to scream "let'em go" now, but cities that have done that have then spent years and billions of dollars trying to get a team back because the void it leaves is palpable and painful. Cities that teams leave suffer. They are emptier places.
Nick Canepa said it well in a recent column. San Diego would have a hole in it, and it would not be shallow.
That doesn't mean that we, as a city, roll over and hemorrhage tax-payer money to feed an almost obscenely rich sport. It does mean that the Chargers are worth making all reasonable efforts to keep in town.
Ask the citizens of Baltimore, Cleveland or Houston what Fall was like without their teams. Ask them why it was worth spending far more than they would have originally to get football back.
It appears we have a reasonable plan, one that does not require a tax increase, to avoid going that route.
I hope it succeeds...