New Colts Stadium; Worth it?

[OneKC]

Cities will forever be suckers for building stadiums for billionaire owners.

[Knox Harrington]

Do not get sucked into Ravekid's nonsense. He has been spouting the same junk on the Indy Star board for years. He is proud that he takes his anger out on the waiters and waitresses who serve him.

Unfortunately for him, not many people are listening. Tax revenues from the additional 1% are much higher than expected. People have not stopped eating out, even in this bad economy. People like me are dropping $200 two or three times a week on meals in Marion County, not the $20 once a week he always brags about.

[Naptowner]

Originally Posted by Knox Harrington

Do not get sucked into Ravekid's nonsense. He has been spouting the same junk on the Indy Star board for years. He is proud that he takes his anger out on the waiters and waitresses who serve him.

Unfortunately for him, not many people are listening. Tax revenues from the additional 1% are much higher than expected. People have not stopped eating out, even in this bad economy. People like me are dropping $200 two or three times a week on meals in Marion County, not the $20 once a week he always brags about.

You're spending 20 to 30,000 a year eating out? Good for you, but that doesn't represent the typical Indianapolis resident.

Ravekid's posts have always been touched with a little lunacy, but there's quite a bit of truth to what he says.

[Ravekid]

Originally Posted by Knox Harrington

Do not get sucked into Ravekid's nonsense. He has been spouting the same junk on the Indy Star board for years. He is proud that he takes his anger out on the waiters and waitresses who serve him.

Anger? I am just refusing to pay for something that I receive no direct monetary benefit from. As soon as I start seeing some sort of income from the stadium and CC, I will then pay "my fair share."

Originally Posted by Knox Harrington

Unfortunately for him, not many people are listening. Tax revenues from the additional 1% are much higher than expected. People have not stopped eating out, even in this bad economy. People like me are dropping $200 two or three times a week on meals in Marion County, not the $20 once a week he always brags about.

Well, where are you dropping your $400/week? No many people can afford to drop $20,800/year in food service. The places I used to eat at all have scaled back due to less people through the door. I am sure the downtown area will always be OK, as any convention brings a captive group of consumers.

Lets run down the East Side:

Stuart Anderson's Cattle Company--Closed up a few years back. Company now has restaurants out west under a different name.

Pizza Hut--Both E. Washington St. Pizza Huts area closed. These restaurants were both dine-in/carry out. They have been around since I can remember, but are now gone.

Denny's E. Washington St.--Again, another establishment that has been there as long as I can remember.

Quizno's 21st/Shadeland--Was in the Circle K, but has since closed.

Oh, check out the current issue of UpDowntown. Fully article on how many upper level food establishments in downtown Indy are no longer serving lunch.

Finally some places are starting to offer coupons and/or reasonably priced meals given the economy. The new Little Caesars $5 pizzas caused a few pizza places around this area to drop their prices significantly, or at least offer a coupon here and that that is close in price. TGI Friday's had to drum up business only when they offered buy-1-get-1 free. So while you may be able to afford to drop $400/week, or $20,800/year, to have someone else cook and serve your food, it is clear that not many others can. I hope there are still enough people like you who can afford to drop $20K/year and pay their $400 to keep Ir$ay rich. I can't, therefore I don't. The only reason I deduct my 1% from my tip the _very_ few times I go out to get served food (which hasn't happened for about three weeks, now if I go out, it is fast food...much cheaper in the long run) is because the way this country operates, sometimes it is the only thing that can be done. If me paying a 1% increase in taxes is no big deal, then why is it that some folks make it a big deal when I deduct the 'no big deal' from the tip? If 1% isn't going to break me, it isn't going to make a difference in the income of the waiter. The waitstaff ain't gonna notice the difference, as they are still going to get the usual 18-20% from me.

Originally Posted by Naptowner

Ravekid's posts have always been touched with a little lunacy, but there's quite a bit of truth to what he says.

The way I say things make people cringe. Too many people don't like hearing negative news, they don't want their blissninnie la la land dream disturbed. I am glad Knox can afford to put $400 into Ir$ay's pocket. I hope Knox will like to part ways with another $400 or $1,000 for the upcoming mass transit tax, the Wishard Hospital property tax (if he/she lives in Marion Co.), and additional coming sales taxes since school districts and local governments all over the state want more, more, more.

[Wingfoot]

Public financing of their places of business for billionaires is nothing less than obscene.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

Public financing of their places of business for billionaires is nothing less than obscene.

The Irsays can take their team anywhere they want if indy doesn't do their bidding ... trucks are always gassed up for a midnight drive.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Ravekid

The places I used to eat at all have scaled back due to less people through the door. I am sure the downtown area will always be OK, as any convention brings a captive group of consumers.

Lets run down the East Side:

Stuart Anderson's Cattle Company--Closed up a few years back. Company now has restaurants out west under a different name.

Pizza Hut--Both E. Washington St. Pizza Huts area closed. These restaurants were both dine-in/carry out. They have been around since I can remember, but are now gone.

Denny's E. Washington St.--Again, another establishment that has been there as long as I can remember.

Quizno's 21st/Shadeland--Was in the Circle K, but has since closed.

Oh, check out the current issue of UpDowntown. Fully article on how many upper level food establishments in downtown Indy are no longer serving lunch.

Finally some places are starting to offer coupons and/or reasonably priced meals given the economy. The new Little Caesars $5 pizzas caused a few pizza places around this area to drop their prices significantly, or at least offer a coupon here and that that is close in price. TGI Friday's had to drum up business only when they offered buy-1-get-1 free. So while you may be able to afford to drop $400/week, or $20,800/year, to have someone else cook and serve your food, it is clear that not many others can. I hope there are still enough people like you who can afford to drop $20K/year and pay their $400 to keep Ir$ay rich. I can't, therefore I don't. The only reason I deduct my 1% from my tip the _very_ few times I go out to get served food (which hasn't happened for about three weeks, now if I go out, it is fast food...much cheaper in the long run) is because the way this country operates, sometimes it is the only thing that can be done. If me paying a 1% increase in taxes is no big deal, then why is it that some folks make it a big deal when I deduct the 'no big deal' from the tip? If 1% isn't going to break me, it isn't going to make a difference in the income of the waiter. The waitstaff ain't gonna notice the difference, as they are still going to get the usual 18-20% from me.

Your assertion that businesses are struggling as a result of the stadium tax is quite the misnomer. You are attempting to cite what is a nationwide trend as a local exclusive resulting from the stadium tax. I know a lot of people who have scaled back on going out recently; both here and away, and it has absolutely nothing to do with stadium taxes.

[Ravekid]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Your assertion that businesses are struggling as a result of the stadium tax is quite the misnomer. You are attempting to cite what is a nationwide trend as a local exclusive resulting from the stadium tax. I know a lot of people who have scaled back on going out recently; both here and away, and it has absolutely nothing to do with stadium taxes.

I am married with no kids. I have _plenty_ of money to eat out, but _I_ am one that doesn't, somewhat because of continued taxation. Marion Co. food and beverage tax is approaching 9%. Currently there is 6% sales tax, 2% stadium tax. I know that it will only get worse. I know there are others who factor in taxes when making decisions. It is one factor of many, and may not be the leading factor for any one person. I know, it is "just a quarter," but those quarters add up and people know that. Saying it makes no difference is laughable. That 1% hike in sales tax may have made no difference. The 2% stadium tax may have made no difference, but when you start adding all the taxes together, I can assure you to some, there is a difference, and when these "quarter" tax hikes come faster and faster, to satisfy the beast that is government, it will become more and more noticeable. Eventually people won't be eating out when there is a 13% tax, even though when divided out, the taxes are 1% for this, 2% for that..just a quarter there, two quarters there, etc..