GOP lawmaker calls for stripping $400 million from New Orleans Saints to punish players for protests

[silverweb]

50. Nor have I.

However, I used to live in San Diego and have seen how a new stadium or arena can go either way. ​

Qualcomm Stadium, built for the Chargers some years ago, was a boondoggle because of terrible contract terms (sold seating guarantees by the city) and a fairly isolated location. ​

On the other hand, the newer Petco Park, built downtown for the Padres, has definitely been of benefit because of its multipurpose functionality (concerts and other events), as well as its location adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, with all of its shops and restaurants.

As a fairly recent Sacramento transplant, I watched the debate rage before approval was received for the new downtown Golden 1 Center, which serves as an arena for the Kings basketball team, as well as a venue for concerts and other events. Now that the facility is built and operating, it's booked solid and does appear to be having very beneficial effects for the downtown area and the city overall.

For these reasons, I'm not altogether opposed to city and county tax breaks for this purpose, as long as the contract terms are clear and fair, but I am vehemently opposed to any federal subsidies.