...and now they want us to pay for a soccer stadium? (Houston: real estate, to buy) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Poltracker · 09-13-2009, 05:50 AM

Looks like the sports authority and all the promises that our taxes would not be affected were in vain. Maybe we should pay for our other stadiums before we try for something new. Houston really has been into the "creative financing" bit lately. Look at the stories on the Metro Rail creative financing they are trying to pull. These folks must think citizens are made of money.

Vow to Harris taxpayers on stadium may be broken | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

predatorprey · 09-13-2009, 11:03 AM

I don't want a soccer stadium...

But think about it, you make a government organization who's sole job is to build stadiums, then what else will they do when the other 3 are built. They are unelected and are political favors...

HookTheBrotherUp · 09-13-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by predatorprey

I don't want a soccer stadium...

But think about it, you make a government organization who's sole job is to build stadiums, then what else will they do when the other 3 are built. They are unelected and are political favors...

A Volleyball stadium!

chris_ut · 09-13-2009, 02:37 PM

Beach Volleyball stadium!

jfre81 · 09-13-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_ut

Beach Volleyball stadium!

That I'd go for. Wouldn't have to be expensive either.

In all fairness, the sports authority when working out the financing couldn't have reasonably forseen this happening. Just another day in the cluster**** of financial deregulation. We let the foxes guard the henhouse and now we wonder why we have to go to the store to buy eggs.

Poltracker · 09-13-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfre81

In all fairness, the sports authority when working out the financing couldn't have reasonably forseen this happening. Just another day in the cluster**** of financial deregulation. We let the foxes guard the henhouse and now we wonder why we have to go to the store to buy eggs.

Well, I think they should hit up the sports teams for the shortfall, not the citizens. Heck, cut one star player and you've got 4 mill. right there.

texas7 · 09-13-2009, 03:12 PM

A lot of people complain about a Soccer stadium but there are those of us who didn't want to pay for a baseball or football stadium either and thousands of Houstonians think it was a great idea (when it is a sport they enjoy and only object when it is one they don't watch).

jfre81 · 09-13-2009, 03:36 PM

On a strictly merit-based system, going on who's accomplished the most recently, the Dynamo should be in front of the Astros, Texans and Rockets.

There's a bigger picture involved here too. Reliant Stadium and what is now called Minute Maid Park started a turnaround for two dying parts of the city. MMP started bringing people downtown and put to use a lot of formerly abandoned real estate. Now you have active businesses bringing in tax revenue and rising property values. The Reliant/Astrodome area is also a lot better off than it was a decade ago.

Poltracker · 09-13-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas7

A lot of people complain about a Soccer stadium but there are those of us who didn't want to pay for a baseball or football stadium either and thousands of Houstonians think it was a great idea (when it is a sport they enjoy and only object when it is one they don't watch).

Not arguing about a soccer stadium, but I do not want to hear all the BS about taxpayers will never have to pay for it when clearly they promised the same thing for the last 3 stadiums and now we find out that we will have to foot the bill. BTW, I voted against the other stadiums because I knew we would end up with the bill. I also do not think the sports authority should contemplate yet another stadium when they cannot pay for the ones they have w/o breaking promises and dipping in to tax payers pockets. Let the Dynamo use the astrodome until finances are better and promises can be kept...no one else is using it at the moment.

Malvie · 09-13-2009, 04:20 PM

We see a lot on this board of people moaning about how tragic Houston is, how it isn't even close to being world-class, how there are no offerings here, no public places, and how bereft the place is of anything reasonably entertaining.

(Threads here and here, for example)

Yet, when we have the chance to actually DO something world-class, there are always those who whine and cry and moan about how it's going to raise taxes, etc.

Build the stadium. It brings an influx of tax dollars into the city, and raises the visibility of the city on an international (as well as national) scale.