San Antonio should get a NFL team (Houston, Austin: rent, quality of life)
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Sure some of those teams you mentioned were awarded to several cities long ago. If it is just too expensive for smaller markets, then they would have relocated already, once venue leases are up, kinda of a contridiction to what you are saying.
? Yes, that was my point. That whats a 'legacy team' that I keep mentioning, is. Its not too expensive for smaller markets because they have already expanded and established. If they hadnt, they would have moved again. No need for a move.
San Antonio does not have a team. It is not a comparison. Saying "Hey, San Francisco got a team in 1949, when the NFL was a smaller entity, so San Antonio in 2009 deserves a team" just does not work. The time comparison and cost benefits do not work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweethomesanantonio
You are dead wrong about San Antonio being a mostly Tourisim and Military driven city. Actually Financial, and Healthcare-Biomedical are the largest industries, Financial (largest in Texas)over $20 billion, and Healthcare nearly $17 billion. National Defense is third, followed by Manufacturing. Toursim-Convention is huge at nearly $11 billion, but it's not what drives this city economically. I recommend you catch up on the San Antonio of today, rather than, living in it's past.
My family still lives in SA, so I assure you I am as caught up as one can be, relatively. Yes, those sectors you mentioned have grown, but Military and Tourism are still the staples. There are no national corporate entities equivalent to microsoft or Boeing (there used to be) or 3M, or Target or Cargill or General Mills equivalents in Texas. Most big markets in TX do not extend far outside of San Antonio.
(no offense).
Again, this is all just my opinion, and if it were 10 years ago I would be arguing what you are, but looking objectively from a business sense with a broad looking glass, it would not be a smart investment for the NFL to expand to SA at this time.
At the very least as proof, if it were such a good investment, there would already be a team there. If the money was good, the NFL would be all over SA. Its not.
? Yes, that was my point. That whats a 'legacy team' that I keep mentioning, is. Its not too expensive for smaller markets because they have already expanded and established. If they hadnt, they would have moved again. No need for a move.
San Antonio does not have a team. It is not a comparison. Saying "Hey, San Francisco got a team in 1949, when the NFL was a smaller entity, so San Antonio in 2009 deserves a team" just does not work. The time comparison and cost benefits do not work.
My family still lives in SA, so I assure you I am as caught up as one can be, relatively. Yes, those sectors you mentioned have grown, but Military and Tourism are still the staples. There are no national corporate entities equivalent to microsoft or Boeing (there used to be) or 3M, or Target or Cargill or General Mills equivalents in Texas. Most big markets in TX do not extend far outside of San Antonio.
(no offense).
Again, this is all just my opinion, and if it were 10 years ago I would be arguing what you are, but looking objectively from a business sense with a broad looking glass, it would not be a smart investment for the NFL to expand to SA at this time.
At the very least as proof, if it were such a good investment, there would already be a team there. If the money was good, the NFL would be all over SA. Its not.
The NFL isn't all over any city at this time becasue it isn't expanding yet. Many exsisting teams always use San Antonio as a threat, as a possible relocation, to help push for new venues.
And... NO, Toursim and Military do not dominate San Antonio's economic force. Government/Military is 3rd and and Tourism is 5th. Why do you insist it is otherwise?
Valero the largest Oil and Gas company in North America, now larger than Exxon, plus there is USAA, Tesoro Energy, Nustar Energy, Clear Channel are all F500. AT&T was HQ in San Antonio untill just recently. Plus Micosoft, Boeing and many major Regional offices have campuses in San Antonio that employee tens of thousands.
Put it on a ballot and let democracy decide,
ask people if they want to pay their $$$ share of the price to have an NFL team in San Antonio.
I would bet that referendum would pass with flying colors. I don't think it will come to that though. All the city or county would have to do is offer some free land and a bunch of tax abatements. Any potential owner concerned with costs would gladly accept that deal.
Put it on a ballot and let democracy decide,
ask people if they want to pay their $$$ share of the price to have an NFL team in San Antonio.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bresilhac
I would bet that referendum would pass with flying colors. I don't think it will come to that though. All the city or county would have to do is offer some free land and a bunch of tax abatements. Any potential owner concerned with costs would gladly accept that deal.
Uh, the taxpayer-funded Alamodome was built because supposedly that's all we lacked - a suitable venue - for an NFL team to play in. Building this domed stadium with public money would send a powerful message to the NFL - that San Antonio is so serious about NFL football, that the citizens will fund and build a suitable facility without private investment.
The referendum passed, the facility was built, and twenty years later, we're still waiting for our NFL franchise.
Let the team make a commitment, fund their own stadium and charge for PSL's (it won't pay for the whole thing..but they can obtain private funding for the remainder)...like the other guys said. This way the whiners around town can't say anything.
Uh, the taxpayer-funded Alamodome was built because supposedly that's all we lacked - a suitable venue - for an NFL team to play in. Building this domed stadium with public money would send a powerful message to the NFL - that San Antonio is so serious about NFL football, that the citizens will fund and build a suitable facility without private investment.
The referendum passed, the facility was built, and twenty years later, we're still waiting for our NFL franchise.
Obviously, I wasn't living here back then...but was there some sort of guarantee that a franchise would move here if a stadium was built? What was the situation?
Uh, the taxpayer-funded Alamodome was built because supposedly that's all we lacked - a suitable venue - for an NFL team to play in. Building this domed stadium with public money would send a powerful message to the NFL - that San Antonio is so serious about NFL football, that the citizens will fund and build a suitable facility without private investment.
The referendum passed, the facility was built, and twenty years later, we're still waiting for our NFL franchise.
And your point is? Look, things are very different in San Antonio now than they were twenty years ago. The league's opinion of San Antonio has changed for the better in particular. You and your sort should stop living in the past and what might have been and start looking toward the future of San Antonio. If everyone looked ahead instead of backward in this town we could get alot more done.
Obviously, I wasn't living here back then...but was there some sort of guarantee that a franchise would move here if a stadium was built? What was the situation?
No. There was no guarantee from the NFL that San Antonio would get a franchise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bresilhac
And your point is? Look, things are very different in San Antonio now than they were twenty years ago. The league's opinion of San Antonio has changed for the better in particular. You and your sort should stop living in the past and what might have been and start looking toward the future of San Antonio. If everyone looked ahead instead of backward in this town we could get alot more done.
My point is - there were high-level individuals in the community and local government that were convinced San Antonio had everything needed to attract an NFL franchise (size, enthusiastic fan base, etc.). The only thing we lacked was a suitable facility for an NFL franchise to play in. Getting an expansion team or luring an existing franchise here would be all but impossible, they said, without that venue.
Because our local leaders said that San Antonio lacked the corporate base that most other NFL host cities have, the only feasible way to fund this venue was to have the taxpayers pay for it. It would also give us an advantage, in that the public funding of this facility would mean less expense for the franchise that would ultimately end up as the tenant. It would also show that the citizens are serious enough about NFL football, that they are willing to pay for this facility. So, they successfully sold the referendum to the voters.
I agree that San Antonio is probably in a better position now to attract an NFL franchise. We still have that domed stadium we paid for, and although it would no longer be considered "state of the art", I think it would make a pretty good venue for a startup operation in a smaller market. If we need a better facility than the Alamodome, then I think it would be an easier sell to the taxpayers if we already have a franchise in place, or at the very least, a commitment.
Honestly San Antonio can not afford a team right now. The bonds that were voted on last elections made it imposiable for us to build a arena for a pro football team for 50 years. They could have if thoes buliding were turned down.
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